Françoise Barré-Sinousi is a French virologist and activist who, while working with Luc Montagnier, Jean-Claude Chermann and others at the Pasteur Institute, discovered human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in 1983. That discovery led to blood tests to detect the infection and finally to antiretroviral drugs that began to keep AIDS patients alive. In 2008, Barré-Sinoussi was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, together with her former mentor, Luc Montagnier.
Barré-Sinoussi has also been a tireless advocate, travelled around Africa to educate people about AIDS prevention and started centers responsible for testing and treating those with AIDS.
Learn more at the Nobel Prize.