The rector of Semmelweis University, Béla Merkely presented the award to the Széchenyi Prize-winning biologist, who lives in the United States, on 15 December. In his speech, Béla Merkely emphasized that the researcher, whose discovery paved the way for the development of mRNA-based vaccines, “could save the lives of millions of people. It is also thanks to her that we can now live in a safer world, because we have a weapon against the Covid-19 virus causing the pandemic”.
Katalin Karikó receives the Semmelweis Budapest Award from Rector Béla Merkely (Photo: MTI/Zoltán Balogh)
According to the MTI report, Béla Merkely also stressed that the technology developed by Katalin Karikó and her colleagues can be used effectively to fight not only viruses but also a range of other diseases, such as oncology and heart disease. This could “open up unprecedented horizons for the future of medicine”.
Semmelweis University (SE) established the Semmelweis Budapest Award in 2009. The SE’s most prestigious international scientific award is given to scientists who have achieved internationally recognized results, who are at the forefront of biomedical research, and whose achievements are worthy of the university’s namesake and who make a significant contribution to the discovery of new ways of understanding living science for the benefit of humanity.
Last year’s recipient of the award was Péter Gloviczki, internationally renowned vascular surgeon who completed his studies at Semmelweis University and then learned the basics of vascular surgery at the Városmajor Clinic. He arrived at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic in the US as a fellow in 1981, where he worked as a chair of the Division of Vascular Surgery between 2000 and 2010.
We recently reported that the European Patent Office illustrated its report on women inventors with Katalin Karikó.
