Lise Thiry (5 February 1921 – 16 January 2024) was a Belgian scientist and politician. She has been voted one of the top 100 Belgians on a television show on the Belgian French-speaking public channel RTBF.

Lise Thiry
Born(1921-02-05)5 February 1921
Liège, Belgium
Died16 January 2024(2024-01-16) (aged 102)
Waterloo, Belgium
Academic background
Alma materUniversity of Liège
Academic work
InstitutionsPasteur Institute
Main interestsVirology

Early life and education edit

Lise Thiry was born in 1921 on 5 February in Liège. Her father was Marcel Thiry, who was a leading French poet. She was one of three female students, in 1940, who studied medicine at the University of Liège. She graduated in 1946.

Career and research edit

Thiry went on to research at the Pasteur Institute in Brussels. In 1951, she created a virology department. She developed a method of screening the AIDS virus (HIV).[1]

In 1990, she became a senator. In 2002, whilst championing the rights of asylum seekers she wrote Conversations with the Clandestine Ones.[2]

Thiry turned 100 in February 2021,[3] and died on 16 January 2024, at the age of 102.[4][5]

Awards and honours edit

  • In 1990, she was voted "Woman of the Year".
  • In 2007, a 70 cent stamp featuring Thiry and the AIDS virus was created.[1]
  • In 2001, she was given the Walloon Merit at the rank of Commander.[6]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Lise Thiry, AIDS on stamps, Retrieved 3 November 2015
  2. ^ Lise Thiry (2002). Conversation avec des clandestins. Cerisier. ISBN 978-2-87267-064-2.
  3. ^ "3x100 ans: quel événement!" (in French). 5 February 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  4. ^ "La virologue belge Lise Thiry, célèbre pour ses recherches sur le sida et son engagement politique, est décédée à l'âge de 102 ans". RTBF (in French). Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Lise Thiry". lesfunérailles.be. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Lise Thiry". connaitrelawallonie.wallonie.be. Retrieved 8 November 2015.

External links edit