{"id":1062841,"date":"2021-01-20T15:01:02","date_gmt":"2021-01-20T20:01:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bocskairadio.org\/?p=1062841"},"modified":"2021-01-20T15:01:02","modified_gmt":"2021-01-20T20:01:02","slug":"biontechs-kariko-to-receive-honorary-citizenship-of-szeged","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bocskairadio.org\/en\/biontechs-kariko-to-receive-honorary-citizenship-of-szeged\/","title":{"rendered":"BioNTech\u2019s Karik\u00f3 to Receive Honorary Citizenship of Szeged"},"content":{"rendered":"

Biochemist Katalin Karik\u00f3 has been nominated to receive this year\u2019s honorary citizenship from Szeged, the local government\u2019s press chief told MTI on Tuesday.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Karik\u00f3, who currently lives in the US, graduated from Szeged University and started her research career in the city, according to a laudation published<\/a> on szeged.hu.<\/p>\n

Karik\u00f3 is a senior vice president of BioNTech. She has been instrumental in developing the company\u2019s Covid-19 vaccine.<\/p>\n

Hungarian Vaccine Researcher Katalin Karik\u00f3 Potential Candidate for Nobel Prize<\/h3>\n

As we enter what is hopefully the last stage in humanity\u2019s battle with the Covid-19 virus, various vaccines are entering the distribution phase around the world. Hundreds of thousands of people have already been vaccinated, predominantly healthcare workers, the elderly, as well as other essential personnel. As with almost all things, there is something \u201cHungarian\u201d about some of these vaccines: Katalin Karik\u00f3<\/a>, a biochemist working for BioNTech, the company partnered with Pfizer to produce one of the first Covid-19 vaccines, was born in Hungary, and her name has been raised regarding a potential Nobel Prize.<\/p>\n

Katalin Karik\u00f3 was born in Szolnok, Hungary, and grew up in Kis\u00fajsz\u00e1ll\u00e1s. She studied biochemistry at the University of Szeged, and upon completion of her PhD began a research career at the Institute of Biochemistry at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. This proved to be a short-lived career, as she was laid off in 1985, and subsequently emigrated to the United States with her husband and two daughters.<\/p>\n

Karik\u00f3 found a job as a researcher at Temple University in Philadelphia but switched to the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) only a few years later. It was here that she began her work on mRNA-based gene therapy, something that has been the focus of her research ever since. Along with noted immunologist Drew Weissman, Karik\u00f3 received a patent for her discoveries regarding mRNA in 2012 but encountered difficulties when her research was not taken seriously at UPenn. She then accepted a job at BioNTech as a senior vice president in charge of the company\u2019s mRNA projects. BioNTech is a German company (owned by Turkish immigrants) that has partnered with Pfizer, with the BioNTech vaccine being mass produced by Pfizer for global distribution. The vaccine developed by another company, Moderna, is also based on Karik\u00f3 and Weissman\u2019s 2012 patent.<\/p>\n

But what is mRNA, this magic word that keeps appearing whenever we talk about Covid-19 vaccines? mRNA, or \u201cmessenger ribonucleic acid\u201d, conveys genetic information that directs the synthesis of specific proteins. In other words, mRNA serves as a blueprint for how the body can produce certain proteins. In very simple terms, an mRNA vaccine works by telling the human body to produce a protein that is also found in Covid-19, and the body then learns how to deal with that protein. If a vaccinated person then contracts Covid-19, their body will recognize the protein and quickly expel the virus.<\/p>\n

It is important to mention that the vaccine does not actually contain Covid-19 itself, only the protein.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

After decades tireless research, Karik\u00f3\u2019s work has borne fruit, and at a crucially important time in human history. In 2018, she and her team had already begun working on using mRNA to tackle influenza viruses, long before Covid-19 existed. Her ground-breaking research on mRNA is what made such a quick vaccine response possible. Thus, it is not surprising that Richard Dawkins, a noted British ethologist and public intellectual, tweeted<\/a> that she should receive a Nobel Prize for her work.<\/p>\n

Hungarians are very proud of our Nobel Prize winners; we often cite our high \u201cNobel Prize Winners Per Capita\u201d statistic (Hungary is currently 13th on the list).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

However, just like Katalin Karik\u00f3, almost all 13 Hungarian Nobel Prize winners lived most of their lives abroad. In fact, Imre Kert\u00e9sz, the 2004 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, is the only one who returned to Hungary later in his life.<\/p>\n

(Hungary Today<\/a>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Biochemist Katalin Karik\u00f3 has been nominated to receive this year\u2019s honorary citizenship from Szeged, the local government\u2019s press chief told MTI on Tuesday.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Karik\u00f3, who currently lives in the US, graduated from Szeged University and started her research career in the city, according to a laudation published<\/a> on szeged.hu.<\/p>\n

Karik\u00f3 is a senior vice president of BioNTech. She has been instrumental in developing the company\u2019s Covid-19 vaccine.<\/p>\n

Hungarian Vaccine Researcher Katalin Karik\u00f3 Potential Candidate for Nobel Prize<\/h3>\n

As we enter what is hopefully the last stage in humanity\u2019s battle with the Covid-19 virus, various vaccines are entering the distribution phase around the world. Hundreds of thousands of people have already been vaccinated, predominantly healthcare workers, the elderly, as well as other essential personnel. As with almost all things, there is something \u201cHungarian\u201d about some of these vaccines: Katalin Karik\u00f3<\/a>, a biochemist working for BioNTech, the company partnered with Pfizer to produce one of the first Covid-19 vaccines, was born in Hungary, and her name has been raised regarding a potential Nobel Prize.<\/p>\n

Katalin Karik\u00f3 was born in Szolnok, Hungary, and grew up in Kis\u00fajsz\u00e1ll\u00e1s. She studied biochemistry at the University of Szeged, and upon completion of her PhD began a research career at the Institute of Biochemistry at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. This proved to be a short-lived career, as she was laid off in 1985, and subsequently emigrated to the United States with her husband and two daughters.<\/p>\n

Karik\u00f3 found a job as a researcher at Temple University in Philadelphia but switched to the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) only a few years later. It was here that she began her work on mRNA-based gene therapy, something that has been the focus of her research ever since. Along with noted immunologist Drew Weissman, Karik\u00f3 received a patent for her discoveries regarding mRNA in 2012 but encountered difficulties when her research was not taken seriously at UPenn. She then accepted a job at BioNTech as a senior vice president in charge of the company\u2019s mRNA projects. BioNTech is a German company (owned by Turkish immigrants) that has partnered with Pfizer, with the BioNTech vaccine being mass produced by Pfizer for global distribution. The vaccine developed by another company, Moderna, is also based on Karik\u00f3 and Weissman\u2019s 2012 patent.<\/p>\n

But what is mRNA, this magic word that keeps appearing whenever we talk about Covid-19 vaccines? mRNA, or \u201cmessenger ribonucleic acid\u201d, conveys genetic information that directs the synthesis of specific proteins. In other words, mRNA serves as a blueprint for how the body can produce certain proteins. In very simple terms, an mRNA vaccine works by telling the human body to produce a protein that is also found in Covid-19, and the body then learns how to deal with that protein. If a vaccinated person then contracts Covid-19, their body will recognize the protein and quickly expel the virus.<\/p>\n

It is important to mention that the vaccine does not actually contain Covid-19 itself, only the protein.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

After decades tireless research, Karik\u00f3\u2019s work has borne fruit, and at a crucially important time in human history. In 2018, she and her team had already begun working on using mRNA to tackle influenza viruses, long before Covid-19 existed. Her ground-breaking research on mRNA is what made such a quick vaccine response possible. Thus, it is not surprising that Richard Dawkins, a noted British ethologist and public intellectual, tweeted<\/a> that she should receive a Nobel Prize for her work.<\/p>\n

Hungarians are very proud of our Nobel Prize winners; we often cite our high \u201cNobel Prize Winners Per Capita\u201d statistic (Hungary is currently 13th on the list).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

However, just like Katalin Karik\u00f3, almost all 13 Hungarian Nobel Prize winners lived most of their lives abroad. In fact, Imre Kert\u00e9sz, the 2004 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, is the only one who returned to Hungary later in his life.<\/p>\n

(Hungary Today<\/a>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":1062842,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[166],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1062841","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nBioNTech\u2019s Karik\u00f3 to Receive Honorary Citizenship of Szeged – Bocskai R\u00e1di\u00f3<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bocskairadio.org\/en\/biontechs-kariko-to-receive-honorary-citizenship-of-szeged\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"BioNTech\u2019s Karik\u00f3 to Receive Honorary Citizenship of Szeged – Bocskai R\u00e1di\u00f3\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Biochemist Katalin Karik\u00f3 has been nominated to receive this year\u2019s honorary citizenship from Szeged, the local government\u2019s press chief told MTI on Tuesday. Karik\u00f3, who currently lives in the US, graduated from Szeged University and started her research career in the city, according to a laudation published on szeged.hu. Karik\u00f3 is a senior vice president of BioNTech. She has been instrumental in developing the company\u2019s Covid-19 vaccine. Hungarian Vaccine Researcher Katalin Karik\u00f3 Potential Candidate for Nobel Prize As we enter what is hopefully the last stage in humanity\u2019s battle with the Covid-19 virus, various vaccines are entering the distribution phase around the world. Hundreds of thousands of people have already been vaccinated, predominantly healthcare workers, the elderly, as well as other essential personnel. As with almost all things, there is something \u201cHungarian\u201d about some of these vaccines: Katalin Karik\u00f3, a biochemist working for BioNTech, the company partnered with Pfizer to produce one of the first Covid-19 vaccines, was born in Hungary, and her name has been raised regarding a potential Nobel Prize. Katalin Karik\u00f3 was born in Szolnok, Hungary, and grew up in Kis\u00fajsz\u00e1ll\u00e1s. She studied biochemistry at the University of Szeged, and upon completion of her PhD began a research career at the Institute of Biochemistry at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. This proved to be a short-lived career, as she was laid off in 1985, and subsequently emigrated to the United States with her husband and two daughters. Karik\u00f3 found a job as a researcher at Temple University in Philadelphia but switched to the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) only a few years later. It was here that she began her work on mRNA-based gene therapy, something that has been the focus of her research ever since. Along with noted immunologist Drew Weissman, Karik\u00f3 received a patent for her discoveries regarding mRNA in 2012 but encountered difficulties when her research was not taken seriously at UPenn. She then accepted a job at BioNTech as a senior vice president in charge of the company\u2019s mRNA projects. BioNTech is a German company (owned by Turkish immigrants) that has partnered with Pfizer, with the BioNTech vaccine being mass produced by Pfizer for global distribution. The vaccine developed by another company, Moderna, is also based on Karik\u00f3 and Weissman\u2019s 2012 patent. But what is mRNA, this magic word that keeps appearing whenever we talk about Covid-19 vaccines? mRNA, or \u201cmessenger ribonucleic acid\u201d, conveys genetic information that directs the synthesis of specific proteins. In other words, mRNA serves as a blueprint for how the body can produce certain proteins. In very simple terms, an mRNA vaccine works by telling the human body to produce a protein that is also found in Covid-19, and the body then learns how to deal with that protein. If a vaccinated person then contracts Covid-19, their body will recognize the protein and quickly expel the virus. It is important to mention that the vaccine does not actually contain Covid-19 itself, only the protein. After decades tireless research, Karik\u00f3\u2019s work has borne fruit, and at a crucially important time in human history. In 2018, she and her team had already begun working on using mRNA to tackle influenza viruses, long before Covid-19 existed. Her ground-breaking research on mRNA is what made such a quick vaccine response possible. Thus, it is not surprising that Richard Dawkins, a noted British ethologist and public intellectual, tweeted that she should receive a Nobel Prize for her work. Hungarians are very proud of our Nobel Prize winners; we often cite our high \u201cNobel Prize Winners Per Capita\u201d statistic (Hungary is currently 13th on the list). However, just like Katalin Karik\u00f3, almost all 13 Hungarian Nobel Prize winners lived most of their lives abroad. In fact, Imre Kert\u00e9sz, the 2004 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, is the only one who returned to Hungary later in his life. (Hungary Today)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.bocskairadio.org\/en\/biontechs-kariko-to-receive-honorary-citizenship-of-szeged\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Bocskai R\u00e1di\u00f3\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BocskaiRadio\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-01-20T20:01:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/cdn.bocskairadio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/20150159\/kariko-katalin-biologus-biontech-mrns-covid19.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1745\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1164\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Bocskai R\u00e1di\u00f3 Sajt\u00f3figyel\u0151\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@BocskaiRadio\" \/>\n<meta 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R\u00e1di\u00f3","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.bocskairadio.org\/en\/biontechs-kariko-to-receive-honorary-citizenship-of-szeged\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"BioNTech\u2019s Karik\u00f3 to Receive Honorary Citizenship of Szeged – Bocskai R\u00e1di\u00f3","og_description":"Biochemist Katalin Karik\u00f3 has been nominated to receive this year\u2019s honorary citizenship from Szeged, the local government\u2019s press chief told MTI on Tuesday. Karik\u00f3, who currently lives in the US, graduated from Szeged University and started her research career in the city, according to a laudation published on szeged.hu. Karik\u00f3 is a senior vice president of BioNTech. She has been instrumental in developing the company\u2019s Covid-19 vaccine. Hungarian Vaccine Researcher Katalin Karik\u00f3 Potential Candidate for Nobel Prize As we enter what is hopefully the last stage in humanity\u2019s battle with the Covid-19 virus, various vaccines are entering the distribution phase around the world. Hundreds of thousands of people have already been vaccinated, predominantly healthcare workers, the elderly, as well as other essential personnel. As with almost all things, there is something \u201cHungarian\u201d about some of these vaccines: Katalin Karik\u00f3, a biochemist working for BioNTech, the company partnered with Pfizer to produce one of the first Covid-19 vaccines, was born in Hungary, and her name has been raised regarding a potential Nobel Prize. Katalin Karik\u00f3 was born in Szolnok, Hungary, and grew up in Kis\u00fajsz\u00e1ll\u00e1s. She studied biochemistry at the University of Szeged, and upon completion of her PhD began a research career at the Institute of Biochemistry at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. This proved to be a short-lived career, as she was laid off in 1985, and subsequently emigrated to the United States with her husband and two daughters. Karik\u00f3 found a job as a researcher at Temple University in Philadelphia but switched to the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) only a few years later. It was here that she began her work on mRNA-based gene therapy, something that has been the focus of her research ever since. Along with noted immunologist Drew Weissman, Karik\u00f3 received a patent for her discoveries regarding mRNA in 2012 but encountered difficulties when her research was not taken seriously at UPenn. She then accepted a job at BioNTech as a senior vice president in charge of the company\u2019s mRNA projects. BioNTech is a German company (owned by Turkish immigrants) that has partnered with Pfizer, with the BioNTech vaccine being mass produced by Pfizer for global distribution. The vaccine developed by another company, Moderna, is also based on Karik\u00f3 and Weissman\u2019s 2012 patent. But what is mRNA, this magic word that keeps appearing whenever we talk about Covid-19 vaccines? mRNA, or \u201cmessenger ribonucleic acid\u201d, conveys genetic information that directs the synthesis of specific proteins. In other words, mRNA serves as a blueprint for how the body can produce certain proteins. In very simple terms, an mRNA vaccine works by telling the human body to produce a protein that is also found in Covid-19, and the body then learns how to deal with that protein. If a vaccinated person then contracts Covid-19, their body will recognize the protein and quickly expel the virus. It is important to mention that the vaccine does not actually contain Covid-19 itself, only the protein. After decades tireless research, Karik\u00f3\u2019s work has borne fruit, and at a crucially important time in human history. In 2018, she and her team had already begun working on using mRNA to tackle influenza viruses, long before Covid-19 existed. Her ground-breaking research on mRNA is what made such a quick vaccine response possible. Thus, it is not surprising that Richard Dawkins, a noted British ethologist and public intellectual, tweeted that she should receive a Nobel Prize for her work. Hungarians are very proud of our Nobel Prize winners; we often cite our high \u201cNobel Prize Winners Per Capita\u201d statistic (Hungary is currently 13th on the list). However, just like Katalin Karik\u00f3, almost all 13 Hungarian Nobel Prize winners lived most of their lives abroad. In fact, Imre Kert\u00e9sz, the 2004 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, is the only one who returned to Hungary later in his life. 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