2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine won by Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman

Tags: Awards

mRNA pioneers Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman will be jointly awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

An Overview of the News

• Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman will be awarded the Nobel Prize for their groundbreaking work in messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, which was crucial in the development of COVID-19 vaccines.

• His contributions led to the rapid development of vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic, saving millions of lives and reducing the severity of the disease.

mRNA Technology Revolution:

• mRNA vaccines such as those from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech were approved in December 2020.

• These vaccines provide genetic instructions to cells, simulating infection and training the immune system.

• The technology, which was initially experimental, has now been administered to millions of people globally and is being explored for other diseases as well.

Honors and Upcoming Celebrations:

• Kariko and Weissman, both from the University of Pennsylvania, have received multiple awards for their research, including the Lasker Prize in 2021.

• They will officially receive their Nobel Prize at a ceremony in Stockholm on 10 December 2023, coinciding with the anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel, who founded the Nobel Prize.