Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman have received the Nobel Prize for Medicine. They receive the prestigious award for their revolutionary research that made the development of effective mRNA vaccines, such as against COVID-19, possible. “They contributed to the unprecedented pace of vaccine development at a time when the world needed it most.”
Research that made mRNA vaccines possible
The discoveries of the 2 Nobel laureates were critical to the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 during the pandemic that began in early 2020. Through their groundbreaking findings, which have fundamentally changed our understanding of the interaction between mRNA and our immune system, the laureates have accelerated the pace of vaccine development during one of the greatest threats to human health in modern times.
Nobel Prize increased to 11 million Swedish crowns
The Nobel Prize for Medicine is awarded for a discovery that has been of great importance in the life sciences or medicine. These are discoveries that have had and/or will have an impact on humanity. The nominees are always a well-kept secret. Pass after 50 years all nominees of a year are announced.
A Nobel Prize winner receives 11 million Swedish crowns, a unique medal and a lot of honor
The renowned award comes with a cash prize worth 11 million Swedish crowns (about 953,000 euros), a unique medal designed by Erik Lindberg, and of course a lot of honor. This means that the cash prize, which last year was 10 million Swedish kronor (SEK), has increased by 1 million SEK. In 1901, during the first Nobel Prize, this was ‘only’ SEK 150,728.
The cash prize has been adjusted several times in the past. In 2012 the amount even dropped from 10 to 8 million SEK. Then the Nobel Foundation started a new program to strengthen its finances. In 2017 they again increased the amount to 9 million SEK and in 2020 to 10 million. And now in 2023, all winners will receive 11 million SEK. The prizes will be officially presented on December 10, the date of Alfred Nobel’s death.
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Laureates Nobel Prize for Medicine
Already 113 Nobel Prizes have been awarded from 1901 to 2022 to 225 individuals. Only 12 of them were women, with Barabara McClintock being the only one to win one on her own. The youngest laureate ever is Frederick G. Banting at 32 years old, the oldest Peyton Rous at 87 years old.
The Nobel Prize for Medicine last year went to Swedish scientist Svante Pääbo for his revolutionary research into human evolution and the genetic material of extinct hominids. Remarkably, Svante Pääbo’s father, Sune Bergström (Svante bears his mother’s surname), also received the same scientific award in 1982 for his research into prostaglandins. It was the eighth time that a child of a Nobel Prize winner also received a prize.
Scheduling the 2023 Nobel Prizes
October 2: Nobel Prize for Medicine
October 3: Nobel Prize in Physics
October 4: Nobel Prize for Chemistry
October 5: Nobel Prize for Literature
October 6: Nobel Peace Prize
October 9: The ‘Sveriges Riksbank’ prize for economics
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