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Researchers win Nobel Prize for mRNA breakthrough NHK

This year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine honors a pair of scientists for their groundbreaking vaccine research.

The Nobel Assembly says they helped address one of the greatest threats to human health in modern times.

The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institute decided on Monday to award the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly to Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman for their discoveries concerning nucleoside base modifications that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19.

Kariko was born in Hungary, and Weissmann is from the US state of Massachusetts.

They made their breakthrough while working at the University of Pennsylvania.

For years, mRNA was considered too difficult for use in vaccines because it caused inflammation in recipients. But Kariko and Weissman found by modifying the mRNA, they could prevent a negative reaction.

The Nobel Assembly says their findings, first published in 2005, fundamentally changed our understanding of how mRNA interacts with our immune systems.

That also contributed to the unprecedented rate of vaccine development during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Summary
2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine awarded to Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman for groundbreaking mRNA vaccine research. Their findings, first published in 2005, revolutionized our understanding of mRNA interaction with the immune system, enabling effective COVID-19 vaccines. Born in
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ID: 2e72385b-556a-4b42-be33-8cd00ae355b2

Category ID: nhk

URL: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231002_37/

Date: Oct. 2, 2023

Created: 2023/10/03 07:23

Updated: 2025/12/08 23:00

Last Read: 2023/10/03 07:27