Harvey Prize predicts Nobel Prize, again
Prof. Katalin Karikó and Prof. Drew Weissman, recipients of the Technion's Harvey Prize, announced as Nobel winners
The Technion’s Harvey Prize again predicted the Nobel Prize!
In August, the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology announced that the Harvey Prize, the most prestigious award given by the Technion, will be given to biochemist Prof. Katalin Karikó and immunologist Prof. Drew Weissman for their singular contribution to the development of corona vaccines.
This morning, the two were informed that they are the winners of the Nobel Prize for Medicine for 2023.
Weissman and Kariko will receive the Nobel Prize for Medicine “for their discoveries that led to the development of effective mRNA vaccines for Corona”.
Prof. Katalin Karikó
Prof. Kariko became known for her persistence in working on mRNA in view of the refusal of the academic establishment in those days to recognize the medical potential of those molecules.
She and her colleague Prof. Weissman led pioneering work in the development of improved mRNA (nucleoside-modified mRNA), which leads to the suppression of the inflammatory response to mRNA molecules and paves the way for RNA-based treatments.
Prof. Drew Weissman
The two will receive the Harvey Prize at the Technion in June 2024 with their colleague Prof. Pieter Cullis for their research, which enabled, among other things, the rapid development of corona vaccines and their rapid delivery, thus saving millions of people around the world.
Their scientific discoveries caused a revolution and led to the development of new types of drugs and genetic therapies that greatly contributed to human well-being.
“The Technion is proud to recognize the enormous importance of the engineering of mRNA molecules for the development of vaccines. The technology that the three have developed is a revolution in the pharmaceutical world,” said Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan.
Join us in congratulating Professors Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman on receiving the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine.
And even more importantly, for saving millions of lives thanks to their life’s work!