Katalin Karikó, a Hungarian-born biochemist, has been instrumental in developing modifications to mRNA molecules that would make them more stable and less likely to trigger an immune response, which paved the way for the use of mRNA as a tool for creating vaccines and other therapies.
Throughout her career, Karikó has played a pivotal role in the development of mRNA-based vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccines, and in 2021 she was awarded the Princess of Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research for her groundbreaking work on mRNA-based therapeutics.