Katalin Karikó

Lore & Background

Katalin Karikó was born in Szolnok and grew up in Kisújszállás, Hungary, in a small home without running water, a refrigerator, or television. Her father was a butcher and her mother a bookkeeper. She excelled in science, earning third place in Hungary in a biology competition.

Reader's Guide

Katalin Karikó's significance lies in her foundational work that enabled the development of mRNA vaccines. This technology was licensed by BioNTech and Moderna for protein replacement and COVID-19 vaccines. The two most effective vaccines based on her work—BioNTech/Pfizer and Moderna—contributed significantly to containing the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite facing institutional discouragement, underfunding, and demotion at the University of Pennsylvania, Karikó persisted, eventually receiving the Nobel Prize in 2023. Her career illustrates how perseverance in the face of skepticism can yield transformative medical advances. Her work also highlights the importance of basic research in RNA biology, which ultimately saved millions of lives globally.

Did You Know?

• Katalin Karikó earned third place in Hungary in a biology competition as a student.
• Karikó received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2023 along with Drew Weissman.
• Her discovery of nucleoside modifications to suppress RNA immunogenicity enabled the development of mRNA vaccines.
• The technology she helped develop was licensed by BioNTech and Moderna for COVID-19 vaccines.