Whose work first linked a virus to cervical cancer?
Quick Answer
Harald zur Hausen proved that human papillomavirus can cause cervical cancer, and his research earned the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. This discovery directly supported HPV vaccine development.
The Full Story
Harald zur Hausen showed that certain human papillomaviruses are the cause of most cervical cancers. At a time when many scientists were skeptical, his work identified HPV types 16 and 18 as major cancer-causing strains. This research helped make cervical cancer one of the clearest examples of a virus-driven human cancer. It also provided the scientific foundation for HPV vaccines that can prevent the infection before it leads to cancer.
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