A meeting with the maven of mRNA therapeutics

On July 26, the RNAmed graduate program kicked off with an exclusive Q&A session between RNAmed students and Katalin Karikó, a pioneer in the field of mRNA vaccines and therapeutics. Students from Munich and Regensburg traveled to the Biocenter at the University of Würzburg, where Karikó was honored with the “Theodor Boveri Prize” from the Würzburg Society for Physical Medicine. The award recognizes her outstanding contributions in the field of mRNA therapeutics, which bridge the gap between basic research and therapeutic application and open up an entirely new field in biomedical research. Link to the Theodor Boveri Prize for Karikó.

During the visit, the RNAmed students had the opportunity to speak with the legendary scientist. Karikó spoke openly about her research journey, including the difficulties, challenges, and triumphs that led to the use of mRNA as a therapeutic agent. Her discoveries have not only protected millions of people from the coronavirus; Karikó’s work also has far-reaching implications for other infectious diseases, cancers, and genetic disorders.

Many thanks to Katalin Karikó for sharing her passion and inspiration with the next generation of RNA researchers at RNAmed.

- Tim Schnyder, former RNAmed program coordinator