Why a Scientist Must Always Doubt
Francoise Barre-Sinoussi was so engrossed in her work at the Pasteur Institute on HIV in the 1980s that she almost missed her own wedding. She went on to win a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, in 2008, for identifying HIV as the cause of AIDS.
Barre-Sinoussi had to overcome intense sexism, as well as disbelief from other scientists about the validity of her findings. The suffering of AIDS patients, many of whom became her friends, left her with debilitating depression. Extreme patience and doubt, she says, were essential to her ability to succeed.
Barre-Sinoussi is currently honorary president of the Pasteur Network, an internationalI spoke with her about her Nobel Prize-winning discovery, her connection to AIDS patients, the future of HIV medicine, and the role of doubt in science.
