AP

Posted: 3:40 am
October 7, 2008

STOCKHOLM, Sweden – Three European scientists will share the 2008 Nobel Prize in medicine for separately discovering viruses that cause AIDS and cervical cancer, it was announced yesterday.

French researchers Francoise Barre-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier were cited for identifying the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, in 1983.

Germany’s Harald zur Hausen was honored for finding human papilloma viruses that cause the second-most common cancer among women.

Meanwhile, Dr. Robert Gallo, an American who was locked in a 1980s dispute with Montagnier over their contributions, expressed disappointment at not being cited.

And Montagnier agreed, saying, “He deserved this as much as us two.”

Zur Hausen will get half of the $1.4 million prize, and Barre-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier will share the other half.