‘Nobody Called’: Katalin Karikó on the mRNA breakthrough that changed medicine

Decades of curiosity and determination helped Katalin Karikó turn overlooked research into a technology that changed the course of a pandemic. The mRNA pioneer and Nobel laureate joins Søren and AJ to discuss how she navigated demotion and threats of deportation to find peace and joy in the lab.

Kati grew up in Hungary before leaving with her family to start a new life in the US – smuggling money hidden in her daughter’s teddy bear as she left.

She faced a language barrier and intense career headwinds upon arrival in the States. Then, one day, a serendipitous encounter with Drew Weissman at a photocopier triggered a collaboration that would lead to one of medicine’s biggest breakthroughs and the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

Kati talks about rejected grants, losing academic positions, and finding a new home for her research at BioNTech. She reflects on what it was like receiving the phone call confirming the COVID-19 vaccine worked. Søren and AJ reflect on the myriad uses for mRNA tech beyond vaccines and Kati explains why scientists need to get better at talking about what they do to prevent misinformation from filling the gaps.

In this episode

04:18 – Explainer: What is mRNA and why does it matter? 09:04 – Nourishing a thirst for science in Hungary 15:20 – How Kati found her way into RNA research 16:53 – Leaving Hungary and starting again in the US 24:08 – Facing unemployment and the threat of deportation 29:01 – Meeting Drew Weissman at the photocopier 36:34 – “Nobody was interested”: when a breakthrough goes unnoticed 38:54 – Losing her position at Penn and finding a way forward 44:16 – Founding RNARx and the trouble with university patents 48:49 – Finding a new home for mRNA research at BioNTech 51:03 – The call that confirmed the COVID vaccine worked 52:49 – What could mRNA do beyond vaccines? 55:24 – Why scientists need to explain their work 60:01 – Being an immigrant and a woman in science 63:38 – Learning to handle setbacks and keep going 65:46 – Wrap-up and key takeaways 71:11 – Season one reflections

About the guest Katalin Karikó is a biochemist whose pioneering work with Drew Weissman helped make mRNA vaccines and therapeutics possible. After decades working on the technology in academic labs and later at BioNTech, Kati was awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine alongside Weissman. She is currently a professor at the University of Szeged and an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dose of Discovery is cohosted by Søren Hough and Ayokunmi Ajetunmobi (AJ) and produced by Suze Cooper.

Read more From not likely to Nobel Prize: mRNA’s rise to fame by Millie Nelson (BioProcess Insider)

‘Absolutely horrified’: Experts reject HHS officials’ disparagement of mRNA technology by Søren Hough

Improving parenthood chances with endometrium-targeted mRNA by Millie Hoe

AI-designed, bespoke mRNA therapy reduces melanoma recurrence, metastasis, and death by Søren Hough

Transcript in the machine: How AI paved the way for customized mRNA cancer treatments by Søren Hough

mRNA HIV vaccine clears hurdles in proof-of-concept clinical trials by Søren Hough

You can find a fully annotated transcript of the episode here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.