In a groundbreaking announcement today, the Nobel Prize in Medicine for 2023 was awarded jointly to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman for their pioneering contributions to the development of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19. The Nobel Prize committee hailed their work as having “fundamentally changed our understanding of how mRNA interacts with our immune system.”
Katalin Karikó, a professor at Sagan’s University in Hungary, and Drew Weissman of the University of Pennsylvania, have played pivotal roles in the scientific community’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their innovative research laid the foundation for the mRNA vaccine technology that has been a cornerstone in the fight against the virus.
The Nobel committee acknowledged that the laureates’ work had significantly accelerated vaccine development, allowing for the swift creation of effective COVID-19 vaccines during one of the most critical health crises in recent history.
Karikó, upon receiving the news, expressed her astonishment, revealing that her husband was the first to answer the early morning call and passed it to her. “I couldn’t believe it,” she said, reflecting the immense significance of this recognition for their groundbreaking contributions to science and global health.
This prestigious award underscores the critical role of scientific innovation in combating the COVID-19 pandemic and opens the door to a new era of mRNA-based medical advancements that could revolutionize healthcare in the years to come.
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