In the presence of the Spanish royal family, on the evening of Friday, October 22, the Princess of Asturias Award was presented to Katalin Karikó, a world-renowned biochemist who has been awarded, among other things, the Széchenyi and Lasker prizes. The Hungarian researcher was awarded several times in the "Technical and scientific research" category.

The scientist who founded the medical application of mRNA-based technology with his discoveries spent the whole week in the capital of the Principality of Asturias. The researcher who contributed to the rapid development of modern vaccines to curb the Covid-19 epidemic also popularized science during the so-called Prize Week in Oviedo. In recent days, he gave lectures in many places, including schools.

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Katalin Karikó receives the Princess of Asturias award. Ovideo October 22, 2021. Photo: AFP/Ander Gillenea

 

Katalin Karikó received the award, also known as the "Spanish Nobel Prize", on Friday evening. According to tradition, VI was present at the ceremony held at the Campoamor Theater in Oviedo. King Felipe of Spain, his wife, Queen Letizia, and their two children, the heir to the throne, Princess Leonora and Infanta Zsófia. The prestigious award was presented to the Hungarian scientist by Leonóra, Princess of Asturias.

Katalin Karikó studied biology at the University of Szeged between 1973 and 1978, and as a result of her research work at the Szeged Biological Center, she defended her PhD thesis at her alma mater, and in 1982 she was awarded a doctorate in biochemistry.

He started working with Drew Weissman in 1997 at the University of Pennsylvania. Their scientific discovery made 16 years ago, in 2005, is considered a milestone.

Their publication describing this revealed how mRNA can be modified so that it does not cause inflammation and thus can be used for therapeutic purposes. They have also developed an efficient strategy to deliver the mRNA into the body so that it reaches the correct target.

The Karikó-Weissman research duo paved the way for the creation of life-saving vaccines when the COVID-19 pandemic shook the world in 2020. The mRNA-based vaccine is used in nearly two hundred countries around the world.

In our opening picture, Katalin Karikó gives a speech at the award ceremony. Photo: AFP/Ander Gillenea. Source: magyarhirlap.hu.