Harvey Prize 2024

Nobel Laureate Prof. Drew Weissman received the Harvey Prize this week along with his colleague Prof. Pieter Cullis. Prof. Weissman donated the prize money he received to students at the Technion.

The Harvey Prize, the most prestigious award given by the Technion, was awarded on June 3, to Nobel Laureate Prof. Drew Weissman from the University of Pennsylvania and Prof. Pieter Cullis from the University of British Columbia. The ceremony took place as part of the Technion Board of Governors meeting.

Prof. Drew Weissman, the 2023 Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine, is an immunologist focusing on RNA biology. He is currently developing methods for replacing genetically defective proteins, genome editing, and precise drug delivery to cells and organs using RNA technologies.

Prof. Pieter Cullis has led significant breakthroughs in developing treatments in nanomedicine using lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for cancer treatment, genetic therapies, and vaccines. He developed lipid nanoparticles that protect mRNA and deliver it to cells. This platform was later used in RNA-based vaccines.

The $75,000 Harvey Prize was established in 1971 by Leo Harvey (1887-1973), an industrialist and inventor, and a dedicated friend and loyal supporter of the Technion and the State of Israel. The prize is awarded annually by the Technion for outstanding achievements in science, technology, and human health and for significant contributions to humanity. Over the years, the prize has become a “Nobel predictor” as more than 30% of its recipients have later won the Nobel Prize. Prof. Drew Weissman joins this statistic, who learned of his Harvey Prize win about two months before receiving the Nobel Prize alongside his colleague Prof. Katalin Karikó.

Weissman and Cullis received the Harvey Prize in human health for their research, which enabled the rapid development and delivery of COVID-19 vaccines to the public. Their scientific discoveries revolutionized the provision of effective and safe vaccines and led to the development of new types of drugs and genetic treatments that greatly contributed to human welfare.

Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan said at the award ceremony: “This is a very difficult time for Israel and the Jewish people, and I find it hard to express our gratitude for your presence here despite the difficulties and uncertainty. Your visit here is a declaration of your friendship with the Technion and with the State of Israel. In the Hebrew language and culture, there is an important term, ‘Tikkun Olam’ (repairing the world), which is not just a term but a guiding value. This value is an integral part of the Technion’s identity, acting out of a commitment to improving the world. We all, as scientists, work for this noble purpose, but only a few have managed to achieve such a far-reaching impact as you.”

Mark Gaines, president of the American Technion Society (ATS), said: “The Technion community has demonstrated its strength in the face of some of its greatest challenges and has overcome them. Leo Harvey, for whom the Harvey Prize is named, dedicated his life to improving human well-being, the Jewish people, and the State of Israel. Professors Weissman and Cullis also dedicate their lives to advancing humanity through scientific excellence and breaking boundaries. I am neither a scientist nor an engineer, and I always admire the perseverance resolve and energy that lead to the accomplishments that you have been able to achieve. Well done.”

“Thank you for the prize, it is a great honor for me,” said Prof. Weissman upon receiving the award. “It’s hard to celebrate at such a difficult time for Israel and the world, but I would never have missed the chance to come to the Technion and receive the Harvey Prize. Whenever I receive an award, I always think about how it will help me advance the other things I do, and I know that being a Harvey Prize laureate will help me promote the things I strive to advance—improving the availability of vaccines and drugs, especially in the Third World and for diseases that are not ‘profitable’ for large companies. For many years, I have been promoting the establishment of research centers and manufacturing facilities for drugs and vaccines in poor countries, allowing local communities to lead research, development, and production in a locally adapted manner.”

“This is a difficult time for Israel; it was especially important for me to come here and receive the award in person,” said Prof. Cullis. “My scientific journey has been an unexpected journey, starting with a Ph.D. in physics, continuing in the field of semiconductors, and reaching the development of vaccines and medical treatments within the academic and industrial framework. It is a great honor for me to receive the Harvey Prize, and I thank you very much.”

The prizes were awarded to the winners by Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan, and the citations were read by Vice President for Academic Affairs Prof. Naama Brenner and Vice President for Research Prof. Noam Adir. The ceremony was moderated by Prof. Michael Silverstein from the Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering.

As part of their visit to the Technion, the laureates gave lectures to researchers and students at the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine. Prof. Drew Weissman, planted a tree in the “Nobel Laureates’ Avenue” at the Technion.

Prof. Drew Weissman, Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine for 2023, is an immunologist focusing on RNA biology. He completed his MD and Ph.D. at Boston University. In 1977, he opened his lab at the University of Pennsylvania, where he focused on RNA and vaccines. He is currently developing methods for replacing genetically defective proteins, genome editing, and precise drug delivery to cells and organs based on RNA technologies. He has received numerous awards, including the Rosenstiel Award, the Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award, and the VinFuture Prize. Together with Prof. Katalin Karikó from the University of Pennsylvania, he has been recognized for his pioneering work in developing 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. Weissman received the Harvey Prize “in recognition of developing innovative technology for the production and packaging of mRNA, which enabled the rapid development and delivery of effective COVID-19 vaccines; in appreciation for his pioneering work with Prof. Katalin Karikó in developing nucleoside-modified mRNA that successfully mitigates the inflammatory response and paves the way for RNA-based treatments. These fundamental scientific discoveries, along with the work of Prof. Pieter Cullis, have revolutionized the delivery of effective and safe vaccines, the development of innovative treatments, and the creation of a platform for future genetic therapies.”

Prof. Pieter Cullis from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of British Columbia has led significant breakthroughs in developing treatments in nanomedicine using lipid nanoparticles (LNP) for cancer treatments, genetic therapies, and vaccines. He developed lipid nanoparticles that protect mRNA and deliver it to cells—a platform later used in RNA-based vaccines. He completed his Ph.D. in physics at the University of British Columbia, where he founded a lab under his leadership. He is a co-founder of two national excellence networks in Canada—the Centre for Drug Research and Development (now AdMare) and the NanoMedicines Innovation Network. He has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada and has received numerous awards, including the Prince Mahidol Award, the Gairdner Award, and the Tang Prize. In 2023, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. Prof. Cullis received the Harvey Prize “in recognition of developing innovative technology for the production and packaging of mRNA, which enabled the rapid development and delivery of effective COVID-19 vaccines, and for developing unique lipid nanoparticles (LNP) that protect mRNA and deliver it to cells, a platform later adapted for RNA-based vaccines. These developments, along with those of Profs. Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman, have led to fundamental scientific discoveries that have revolutionized the delivery of effective and safe vaccines, the development of innovative treatments, and the creation of a platform for future genetic therapies.”