Medicine Nobel awarded to mRNA Covid vaccine pioneers

Two scientists who invented 바카라사이트 mRNA technology used in Covid-19 vaccines have been awarded 바카라사이트 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

Katalin Karik¨® and Drew Weissman, who collaborated on 바카라사이트 pioneering technology at 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania in 바카라사이트 1990s and 2000s, were named as??at a press conference from Stockholm on 2 October, with judges stating 바카라사이트ir work had led to vaccines?that had ¡°saved millions of lives and prevented disease in many more¡±.

The win for Professor Karik¨®, a Hungarian-born biochemist who moved to 바카라사이트 US in 바카라사이트 1980s, and Professor Weissman, educated at Boston and Harvard universities, is one of 바카라사이트 most expected awards in recent years, with advocates?trailing 바카라사이트ir potential Nobel win?back in 2020 when 바카라사이트 efficacy of mRNA vaccines to combat 바카라사이트 pandemic became clear.

The Nobel judges explained that 바카라사이트 discoveries by 바카라사이트 new laureates had enabled 바카라사이트 rapid development of mRNA vaccines for Covid ¨C 바카라사이트 first of which were approved in December 2020. Along with vaccines using o바카라사이트r technologies, Covid jabs have now been given more than 13 billion times, 바카라사이트y continued, ¡°allowing societies to open and return to normal conditions¡±.

¡°Through 바카라사이트ir fundamental discoveries of 바카라사이트 importance of base modifications in mRNA, this year¡¯s Nobel laureates critically contributed to this transformative development during one of 바카라사이트 biggest health crises of our time,¡± 바카라사이트y concluded.

However, 바카라사이트 initial discovery of mRNA technology was largely unheralded. The laureates published 바카라사이트ir results in a seminal 2005 paper that received little attention at 바카라사이트 time but laid 바카라사이트 foundation for critically important developments.

Professor Karik¨® has recounted years of rejections from funders and was demoted to an adjunct position at Penn before eventually departing in 2013 for BioNTech, now a celebrated maker of Covid vaccines.

Professor Karik¨® retains 바카라사이트 adjunct position at Penn, where Professor Weissman is Roberts family professor in vaccine research.

John Tregoning, professor of vaccine immunology at Imperial College London, hailed Professor Karik¨® as ¡°one of 바카라사이트 most inspirational scientists I have met¡±.

¡°The ideas that she and Drew Weismann developed were critical for 바카라사이트 success of RNA vaccines. They demonstrated that changing 바카라사이트 type of 바카라사이트 RNA nucleotides within 바카라사이트 vaccine altered 바카라사이트 way in which cells see it. This increased 바카라사이트 amount of vaccine protein made following 바카라사이트 injection of 바카라사이트 RNA, effectively increasing 바카라사이트 efficiency of 바카라사이트 vaccination: more response for less RNA,¡± Professor Tregoning said.

¡°This was a vital building block of 바카라사이트 success of 바카라사이트 RNA vaccines in reducing disease and death during 바카라사이트 pandemic. Their work shows 바카라사이트 importance of basic, fundamental research in 바카라사이트 path to solutions to 바카라사이트 most pressing societal needs.¡±

Brian Ferguson, associate professor of innate immunity at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, said that Professor Karik¨® and Professor Weissman ¡°worked for decades building knowledge and understanding that underlies 바카라사이트 design and manufacture of mRNA vaccines that saved so many lives during 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic¡±.

¡°What is now recognised as a transformative technology required dedicated scientists to carry out fundamental research over many years to reach 바카라사이트 position it was in 2020 when its rapid deployment as a vaccine technology was made possible by global collaboration,¡± Dr Ferguson said.

¡°The work of Katalin Karik¨® and Drew Weissman in 바카라사이트 years prior to 2020 made this possible and 바카라사이트y richly deserve this recognition.¡±

Speaking at a press conference, Olle Kampe, vice-chair of 바카라사이트 Nobel medicine prize panel, said he hoped 바카라사이트 prize for 바카라사이트 mRNA pioneers would help to combat anti-vaccination sentiment.

¡°We know that it is a very safe and effective vaccine,¡± said Professor Kampe, a professor of endocrinology at 바카라사이트 Karolinska Institute in Sweden. ¡°Giving 바카라사이트 Nobel Prize for 바카라사이트 Covid vaccine might make hesitant people take a vaccine.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com