Harald zur Hausen, virologist, 1936-2023
When Professor Harald zur Hausen, who has died aged 87, identified a link between the human papillomavirus and cervical cancer almost half a century ago, few of his fellow scientists took the breakthrough seriously. Orthodox thinking asserted that the disease was caused by the herpes virus. Few were keen to revise it on the word of a young virologist who was not known for his work on cervical cancer.
But his discovery, tenaciously pursued over decades, is now viewed as one of the most remarkable medical advances of modern times. It paved the way for a preventive vaccine expected to save millions of lives. In 2008 it netted him the ultimate accolade: the Nobel Prize in medicine.
This story originally appeared on: Financial Times - Author:Sarah Neville
