2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine: The mRNA Revolution with Karikó and Weissman

3 Outubro 2023

• Physiology or Medicine
• Nobel Prize
• mRNA Vaccine
• COVID-19

The 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman, for their groundbreaking discoveries that led to the development of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19.

Karikó and Weissman, working independently but with a common goal, dedicated their careers to unraveling the potential of messenger RNA (mRNA) as a tool for human health. mRNA, the molecule that carries the genetic instructions for protein production, was seen as a promising pathway for developing new therapies, but it faced significant obstacles.

The main challenge was the inflammatory response of the immune system to mRNA, which prevented its clinical application. Karikó, in her work at the University of Pennsylvania, spent years researching to understand and overcome this barrier. She discovered that a specific chemical modification to mRNA, replacing uridine with pseudouridine, could reduce the inflammatory response and increase the molecule’s stability.

Meanwhile, Drew Weissman, also at the University of Pennsylvania, was conducting research on the role of TLR7, an immune receptor that recognizes mRNA and triggers the inflammatory response. His studies revealed that the chemical modification discovered by Karikó did, in fact, reduce TLR7 activation.

The collaboration between Karikó and Weissman proved crucial in validating and developing this discovery, paving the way for the creation of safe and effective mRNA vaccines. This technology proved fundamental in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, with mRNA vaccines being developed in record time and saving millions of lives.

Karikó and Weissman’s discoveries are not limited to the pandemic. mRNA technology has become one of the most promising areas of medical research, with the potential to treat a variety of diseases, including cancer, rare diseases, and infectious diseases.

The 2023 Nobel Prize recognizes the profound influence of Karikó and Weissman’s work, which has transformed modern medicine and opened doors to a future of innovation and hope in the field of health.