Harvey Bialy facts for kids
Harvey Bialy (born in 1945 in New York City, died July 1, 2020) was an American molecular biologist. He was known for his controversial views on AIDS, especially his belief that HIV was not the cause of the disease. He was part of a group called the "Group for the Scientific Reappraisal of the HIV-AIDS Hypothesis." He also served on a special panel in South Africa in 2000, which was heavily criticized for its views on AIDS. In 2004, Bialy wrote a book about another scientist who shared his views, Peter Duesberg.
His Early Life and Studies
Harvey Bialy graduated from Bard College in 1966. He then earned his Ph.D. in molecular biology in 1970 from the University of California, Berkeley.
After his studies, he joined the science journal Nature Biotechnology in 1984. He worked there as a scientific editor, helping to review and publish scientific articles, until 1996. He also wrote many articles himself about molecular genetics. These articles included research showing how tiny viruses called phages can affect the cells they infect. He also wrote many opinion pieces about new topics in biotechnology for Nature Biotechnology and other journals.
In 2004, Bialy wrote a book called Oncogenes, Aneuploidy, and AIDS. This book was about the scientific life of his fellow molecular biologist, Peter Duesberg. It focused on Duesberg's ideas about cancer and his belief that HIV did not cause AIDS. The book also discussed the politics involved in modern science.
Working as a Scientist
Harvey Bialy's work history shows that he received grants to study serious health issues. In 1978, he helped get a grant to study bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics in Nigeria. Later, in 1982, he received a World Health Organization grant. This grant allowed him to study how antibiotic-resistant germs spread and how their genes work in Nigeria.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he worked as a visiting researcher at different universities in the United States and Africa. He also advised the Center for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering in Havana, Cuba, from 1986 to 1996. From 1996 to 2006, he was a scholar at the IBT at UNAM in Cuernavaca, Mexico. While there, he also started and led the Virtual Library of Biotechnology for the Americas.
His Artistic Side
Besides his scientific work, Harvey Bialy was also a poet and an artist. He published several books of poetry. In 1976, he received a special award for his poetry from the National Endowment for the Arts.
After May 2007, he spent most of his time on his art. An art show called "Telestics ... The Art of the Ordinary" featured his work from August 23 to 31, 2007. This show was held at the Catedral de Cuernavaca in Mexico. The famous painter Rafael Cauduro admired Bialy's art and spoke highly of it at the opening ceremony. The Minister of Culture for the State of Morelos also attended the event. Later, from February to April 2012, Bialy's art was shown at the Nalanda Gallery of Naropa University.
See also
In Spanish: Harvey Bialy para niños
- Duesberg hypothesis
- HIV/AIDS denialism
