Karikó and her colleague Drew Weissman "created the perfect vehicle for targeting any virus or pathogen," TIME says.Continue reading
Hungarian-born biochemist Katalin Karikó, a developer of mRNA-based vaccines, received the Bolyai Prize from President János Áder on Friday.
At the ceremony held at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Budapest, Áder said the mRNA technology had since become a versatile tool in healthcare and prevention. “We Hungarians are proud of our compatriot who started from Hungary to become one of the best in her field,” Áder said.
Karikó’s work was key to the swift development of the coronavirus vaccine, he said.
The Bolyai Prize has been the most prestigious scientific award founded by private individuals in Hungary since 1989. It is awarded bi-annually and includes prize money of 100,000 euros.
In the featured photo, President János Áder awards the Bolyai Prize to Katalin Karikó at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Featured photo by Zoltán Máthé/MTI