Two scientists whose research contributed to the development of COVID-19 vaccines missed out on the latest Nobel Prize in medicine, which on Monday was given to two U.S.-based professors for their work on heat and touch.
Two scientists whose research contributed to the development of COVID-19 vaccines missed out on the latest Nobel Prize in medicine, which on Monday was given to two U.S.-based professors for their work on heat and touch. American Drew Weissman and Hungarian-born Katalin Kariko — who worked closely together to understand the benefits of messenger RNA, or mRNA — were among the front-runners for the prestigious award as many admirers saw them as the heroes behind two of the world’s most successful coronavirus vaccines. Both Pfizer and Moderna used mRNA technology to create a new type of vaccine that teaches cells how to make a protein that triggers an immune response against the virus. The approach was so successful that pharmaceutical companies are now planning to use the same technology for other vaccines. The Nobel Committee traditionally takes years, if not decades, to honor scientific achievements, but some critics were still disappointed by the panel’s decision to give the award to two scientists whose work had nothing to do with the ongoing pandemic.
