What Would Katalin Karikó Do?
Dr. Katalin Karikó is a Hungarian-born biochemist whose
faith in the medicinal benefits of RNA protein synthesis motivated her groundbreaking research. She is exalted by the scientific community and kindred laypersons alike for her contributions to the COVID-19 vaccine and her indomitable spirit.
During Karikó’
s employment with UPenn, grant rejections and failed experiments resulted in her demotion. Though she
faced a barrage of setbacks throughout her career, Karikó
pressed on.
After nearly twenty years as an adjunct professor at UPenn filled with the “red tape” of academia, Karikó had a breakthrough. Her findings, in collaboration with Doctors Buckstein, Ni, and Weissman provided the
key to viable mRNA treatments. Their work eventually led to the timely development of the COVID vaccine which saved millions of lives the
world over.
The continued research made possible by Karikó and Weissman, now with BioNTech, is invaluable to the
future of preventative medicine and the trajectory of humanity as a whole. Their work aims to eradicate viral ailments such as HIV and HSV, as well as degenerative diseases like
MS and cancer.
With her unshakeable belief in her ability and fierceness of will, Katalin Karinkó transformed from an undervalued and underpaid part-
time Professor to the woman who saved the
world from an unprecedented pandemic and will one day cure cancer.
The next
time you want to give up,
ask yourself— What would Katalin Karikó do?
“God, I can’t believe I failed my OCHEM
exam!
Maybe I should drop the class….”
“
Marie, don’t be so fatalistic. WWKKD?”
