An Ivy League research university founded in 1701, Yale said that "Karikó's personal story of perseverance and resilience, which came to be widely known during the pandemic, has been inspirational to many".Continue reading
The name and photos of Hungarian biochemist Katalin Karikó, one of the most important pioneers of mRNA technology, were allegedly misused in advertisements for products and preparations for fungal diseases.
In a statement made by Katalin Karikó, research professor and former student of the University of Szeged, she said that several people have drawn her attention to the fact that on the internet and community forums, products related to fungal diseases are advertised with her name and picture, falsely referring to her as an expert in dermatology.
The professor stressed that she is not, and never has been involved in the advertising or promotion of any products or lotions against skin and nail fungus, had not authorized the use of her name or her picture, had not given any interviews, given any advice, made any statements, or held any press conferences in connection with this.
“My name and likeness have been and are being misused and abused, by attributing to me words, phrases, claims, and statements that I have never made,” Karikó said.
The Hungarian biochemist expressed hope that the competent authorities will take action without delay.
Karikó, the vice president of BioNTech, which has led research on mRNA-based medicine since the 1990s, has played a major role in developing new vaccination strategies which have been used in the fight against Covid-19.
Featured photo by Tibor Rosta/MTI