STOCKHOLM (AP) — Two scientists have been awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine for their groundbreaking discoveries that enabled the development of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19.
The recipients of the award are Katalin Karikó, a professor at Sagan’s University in Hungary and an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and Drew Weissman, who collaborated with Karikó at the University of Pennsylvania to conduct their prizewinning research.
The panel that awarded the Nobel Prize stated that the laureates’ findings have revolutionized our understanding of how mRNA interacts with our immune system, leading to the rapid development of vaccines during this unprecedented health crisis.
Thomas Perlmann, the secretary of the Nobel Assembly, announced the prize and revealed that both scientists were overwhelmed by the news of their win.
Gunilla Karlsson Hedestam, a member of the panel that selected the winners, highlighted the importance of their work in saving lives, particularly during the initial phase of the pandemic.
Last year, the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine was awarded to Swedish scientist Svante Paabo for his discoveries in human evolution that unlocked the secrets of Neanderthal DNA, providing crucial insights into our immune system and its vulnerability to severe COVID-19.
This award marks the second Nobel Prize in medicine for the family, as Paabo’s father, Sune Bergstrom, received the prestigious honor in 1982.
The announcement of the Nobel Prizes will continue throughout the week, with the physics prize on Tuesday, chemistry on Wednesday, literature on Thursday, the peace prize on Friday, and the economics award on October 9th.
Each prize carries a cash award of 11 million Swedish kronor ($1 million), funded by a bequest from Alfred Nobel, the Swedish inventor who passed away in 1896.
This year, the prize money has been increased by 1 million kronor due to the devaluation of the Swedish currency.
The laureates will be invited to receive their awards at ceremonies held on December 10th, the anniversary of Nobel’s death. The Nobel Peace Prize ceremony will take place in Oslo, in accordance with Nobel’s wishes, while the other award ceremony will be held in Stockholm.
Reporting by Corder from The Hague, Netherlands.
Stay updated on all the latest AP stories about the Nobel Prizes at https://apnews.com/hub/nobel-prizes.
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