Interview with Katalin Karikó: 58If the university hadn't kicked me out at 58, there would have been no biotech vaccine

Katalin Karikó, co-recipient of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, has spoken candidly about her journey in scientific research and its impact on global health. In an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, she reflected on how her career path led to the development of one of the world’s most successful vaccines against COVID-19. She stated, “If the university had not expelled me at the age of 58, there would have been no BioNTech vaccine.” Her remarks underscore the pivotal role her early academic experiences played in shaping her later work. Karikó’s comments were part of a broader discussion about the challenges of developing mRNA-based therapies for diseases such as cancer. When asked whether the phrase on her clean T-shirt, “If you think research is expensive, try disease”, was a statement, she explained that it originated from Mary Lasker, a prominent American health activist. The quote reflects her belief in the importance of funding medical research to combat illness. Karikó noted that while she and her colleague Drew Weissman received the Lasker Award for their contributions to medical science, they had initially been motivated more by curiosity than by financial gain. The conversation turned to the differences between creating vaccines for infectious diseases and those targeting cancer. Karikó emphasized that unlike viruses, which can be directly targeted, cancer involves complex biological processes. “A vaccine against cancer does not aim to recognize and eliminate an invader,” she explained. “Instead, it trains the immune system to identify and destroy tumor cells.” This distinction highlights the unique challenges of developing personalized immunotherapies for cancer treatment. Currently, researchers are making progress toward individualized cancer vaccines. These treatments involve analyzing tumor tissue to determine specific mutations and surface structures. Based on this data, customized vaccines are designed to stimulate the body's immune response against cancerous cells. Karikó cited a recent study conducted by BioNTech involving patients with pancreatic cancer. Of 16 participants, eight responded positively to the vaccine, with seven still alive six years later. While these results are promising, Karikó acknowledged the need to understand why some patients do not respond well to such therapies and how to improve outcomes. She expressed optimism about the future of cancer treatment, emphasizing that young scientists will continue to find innovative solutions. “There are 650 students here in Lindau,” she said. “They will find ways forward. You shouldn’t say something is impossible just because you don’t yet know how to achieve it.” However, she also stressed the importance of understanding the underlying mechanisms of diseases before developing effective treatments. Reflecting on the early stages of the pandemic, Karikó recalled that she did not believe it was possible to develop an mRNA-based vaccine for SARS-CoV-2. “I didn’t fear it wouldn’t work,” she said. “It was simply because China seemed so far away to me.” She also admitted that she had not imagined the potential of her earlier research on lipids as transport vehicles for therapeutic molecules. At the time, her work was driven by academic curiosity rather than long-term vision. Karikó remembered the moment she realized her work could contribute significantly to combating the virus. She described how Uğur Şahin, co-founder of BioNTech, proposed expanding their focus to infectious diseases in 2015. Initially, their efforts were directed toward pathogens like Ebola, but interest remained low. It wasn’t until 2018 that Pfizer approached them with an idea to develop an mRNA-based influenza vaccine. Despite skepticism, they agreed to collaborate, and within a year, clinical trials began. By January 2020, the release of the coronavirus genome allowed them to quickly adapt their technology and move into human trials. The similarity between the flu virus and SARS-CoV-2 made this transition feasible.