Hungarian scientist Katalin Kariko and US colleague Drew Weissman, who met in line for a photocopier before making mRNA molecule discoveries that paved the way for COVID-19 vaccines, won the 2023 Nobel Prize for Medicine on Monday.
Hungarian scientist Katalin Kariko and her American colleague Drew Weissman have been awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize for Medicine. Their groundbreaking discoveries in mRNA technology paved the way for the development of Covid-19 vaccines.
The Nobel Assembly of Sweden’s Karolinska Institute Medical University is responsible for selecting this prestigious award. They highlighted how Kariko and Weissman’s contributions led to the rapid development of vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The prize is considered one of the highest honors in the scientific community. It comes with a prize of 11 million Swedish crowns (about $1 million) to be shared between the two scientists.
Kariko is a professor at the University of Szeged in Hungary and an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania. She expressed that their primary focus was creating a product that could be genuinely helpful, rather than seeking rewards.
Weissman, a fellow professor at UPenn specializing in vaccine research, described winning the award as a “lifetime dream“. He reminisced about their more than two-decade-long collaboration, including late-night emails and shared challenges.
An Inspiration For Generations
Back in 2005, Kariko and Weissman developed nucleoside base modifications. A crucial advancement that prevented the immune system from reacting aggressively to lab-made mRNA. This breakthrough overcame a significant obstacle to using this technology for therapy.
Their efforts resulted in the development of the widely used mRNA vaccine co-produced by BioNTech and Pfizer. Which has reached approximately 1.5 billion people worldwide.
Kariko’s journey from a humble village upbringing without modern amenities to becoming a distinguished scientist with a doctorate in biochemistry is nothing short of inspiring. Her determination to turn mRNA into a treatment tool faced obstacles, including skepticism from colleagues and funding challenges.
Their collaboration began unexpectedly in 1998 while waiting in line for a photocopier, where Kariko shared her passion for RNA and Weissman expressed his interest in vaccines.
Their work has opened the door to a wide range of potential applications for mRNA technology, including cancer therapies and vaccines for diseases like malaria, influenza, and rabies.
