The Nobel Prize 2023: Kariko and Weissman share it in physiology/medicine
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for 2023 has been awarded to Katalin Kariko of Hungary and Drew Weissman of the United States for their pioneering work to develop vaccines against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The two scientists, who had been tipped as favorites, were honored “for their discoveries concerning nucleoside base modifications that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19,” the jury said.
“The laureates contributed to the unprecedented rate of vaccine development during one of the greatest threats to human health in modern times,” it added.
The pair will receive their prize, consisting of a diploma, a gold medal, and a USD 1 million cheque, from King Carl XVI Gustaf at a formal ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden, on December 10, the anniversary of the 1896 death of scientist Alfred Nobel who created the prizes in his last will and testament.
The prestigious award is given annually by the Nobel Assembly, comprising 50 professors at the Karolinska Institutet. It recognizes scientists for making significant contributions to the field of medicine for the benefit of humankind, the media reported on Monday.
So far, 113 Nobel Prizes in Physiology or Medicine have been awarded since 1901, of which 12 have been given to women. The youngest medicine laureate ever was Frederick G. Banting, who received the 1923 Nobel Prize for the discovery of insulin at the age of 32.
In 2022, the Nobel Prize for Physiology was awarded to Swedish paleogeneticist Svante Paabo, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, for sequencing the genome of the Neanderthals and discovering the previously unknown hominin Denisova. He was recognized for his groundbreaking work in extracting and analyzing DNA from ancient bones, particularly those of the Neanderthals.
His research significantly advanced our understanding of extinct hominins and human evolution, the Nobel Committee said.
The Nobel Prize announcements are a highly anticipated event every October, with committees convening in Stockholm (Sweden) and Oslo (Norway) to reveal the names of the recipient laureates.
Since its inception in 1901, the Nobel Prize has been awarded to scientists who have made the most important discoveries for the benefit of humankind.
The Nobel season continues this week with the announcement of the winners of the Physics Prize on Tuesday and the Chemistry Prize on Wednesday.
They will be followed by the much-anticipated prizes for Literature on Thursday and Peace on Friday.
The Economics Prize winds things up on Monday, October 9.
