It was 30 years ago today that Doctor Robert Gallo and his team of researchers discovered the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the agent that causes AIDS.
Doctor Robert Gallo says he still remembers the moment he agreed to explore the crisis. AIDS had already killed 1,800 people when Gallo and a team of government researchers set out to find a cause.
Months after their research started, Gallo and his team of researchers discovered a common thread. Word then leaked that scientists had discovered HIV and Gallo was summoned to a news conference.
The discovery would become one of the most significant breakthroughs in medical history.
While he is best known for his co-discovery of HIV, Gallo and his team also helped develop the HIV blood test, a test that allows people to be screened for the AIDS virus. Dr. Gallo researches at the University of Maryland Medical Center and still assists those living with AIDS through the institute.
And while Gallo believes there may never be a cure, he is still uncertain about the prospect of a vaccine.
Source: Fox Baltimore
