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cover of episode Resiliency Will Reward You | Nobel Prize Winner Dr. Katalin Karikó

Resiliency Will Reward You | Nobel Prize Winner Dr. Katalin Karikó

2025/3/19
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The Daily Stoic

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Dr. Katalin Karikó reflects on her early fascination with science, encouraged by her upbringing in rural Hungary, and the challenges she faced as a child that shaped her resilient spirit.
  • Dr. Karikó's curiosity about nature and science was sparked by her rural upbringing.
  • Her father, despite limited education, encouraged her scientific curiosity.
  • She competed in national biology competitions as a teenager.
  • Her family faced financial challenges, limiting their resources.
  • The decision to leave Hungary was driven by a lack of opportunities.

Shownotes Transcript

They told her she would never succeed, now her work has saved millions. In this episode, Ryan talks with Dr. Katalin Karikó, the scientist behind the mRNA technology that led to COVID-19 vaccines. She grew up in rural Communist Hungary, faced rejection after rejection, got demoted, and struggled financially but she never stopped chasing the science. 

Dr. Katalin Karikó opens up to Ryan about her experiences as an immigrant in the U.S., the grind of scientific discovery, enjoying the process rather than focusing solely on outcomes, misinformation in the scientific community, and the responsibility of scientists to communicate effectively with the public.

Dr. Katalin Karikó is a Hungarian American biochemist who specializes in RNA-mediated mechanisms. She won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with her colleague Dr. Drew Weissman for their discoveries concerning nucleoside base modifications that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19. 

Read the New York Times feature) on Dr. Katalin Karikó here)

Follow Dr. Katalin Karikó on Instagram @katalin_kariko)  

Check Dr. Katalin Karikó’s memoir Breaking Through: My Life in Science)

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