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Katalin Kariko

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Scientist

The Resume

    (January 17, 1955- )
    Born in Szolnok, Hungary
    Biochemist
    Studied the use of messenger RNA (mRNA) for protein replacement therapy and in vaccines
    Cofounder and CEO of RNARx (2006-13)
    Co-recipient with Drew Weissman of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2023)

Why she might be annoying:

    The Communist secret police in Hungary listed her as an asset.
    When she and her family left Hungary (1985), they smuggled out £900 bought on the currency black market, hidden in her daughter's teddy bear.
    She accepted a job offer at Johns Hopkins without informing her lab supervisor at Temple University (1988).
    The University of Pennsylvania removed her from their tenure track after several of her grant applications were rejected (1995).

Why she might not be annoying:

    She said she was blackmailed into being an intelligence asset by threats of reprisal against her father.
    When her lab supervisor at Temple found out about the Johns Hopkins offer, he threatened to have her deported as an 'illegal' immigrant.
    By the time she had finished challenging the resulting extradition order, Johns Hopkins had withdrawn the job offer.
    Her and Weissman's mRNA research was the basis for the Covid-19 vaccines developed by Moderna and Pfizer.
    Her daughter, Susan Francia, is a rower who won two Olympic gold medals.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 53 Votes: 18.87% Annoying