2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded to COVID-19 vaccine pioneers
The 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to scientists Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman for their discoveries that led to the creation of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19. This prestigious award, given by the Nobel Assembly of Sweden's Karolinska Institute research-led medical university, comes with a prize of SEK 11 million (about $1 million). This honor shows just how big of an impact their research has had on global healthcare during the pandemic.
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Know science behind mRNA vaccines
Karikó and Weissman's work focused on nucleoside base modifications, which made the development of effective mRNA vaccines possible. These vaccines work by introducing a tiny piece of genetic material from the virus into our bodies, causing cells to produce a harmless protein that looks like the virus. Our immune system then sees this protein as an invader and fights against it. This approach has been important in quickly developing and distributing COVID-19 vaccines all over the world.
Past winners and their contributions
Past winners of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine include Svante Paabo, who won it in 2022 for sequencing the genome of the Neanderthal and discovering a previously unknown human relative, the Denisovans. Other famous winners include Alexander Fleming, who won the 1945 prize for discovering penicillin, and Karl Landsteiner, who was awarded in 1930 for his discovery of human blood groups. Now, the recognition of Karikó and Weissman's work adds to the legacy of these incredible scientific achievements.
Nobel Prize Week: Five more awards in coming days
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine kicked off this year's Nobel Prize announcements, with five more awards to be revealed in the next few days. Started in 1901 as per Swedish dynamite inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel's 1895 will, these prizes celebrate amazing achievements in science, literature, peace, and economics. The Swedish king will hand out the awards at a ceremony in Stockholm on December 10 this year, followed by a fancy banquet at city hall.
