She helped save millions of lives. So, how does it feel? With humility and wit, 2023 Nobel laureate Katalin Karikó shared insights on her life’s work during a free public event at the CUNY Graduate Center on November 15. CUNY’s recital hall was filled to capacity as guests took their seats for an up-close and personal look at Dr. Karikó’s brilliant career, including firsthand accounts of research that laid the foundation for the COVID-19 vaccines and hundreds of other therapies now in clinical trials.
Dr. Karikó’s studies changed science’s understanding of how mRNA interacts with our immune system. Interviewed by New York Times columnist and popular science writer Carl Zimmer, Dr. Karikó spoke for nearly an hour about her journey of discovery, her love for science, and staying positive in the face of adversity. She referenced several excerpts from her autobiography Breaking Through, which speak to a philosophy of focusing on what you can control and treating “failure” as a learning opportunity. She also reminded the audience of a simple truth. Science is fun.
Carl Zimmer is the acclaimed author of more than a dozen popular science books. Katalin Karikó is the winner of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Watch Zimmer interview Karikó about a range of topics.
The City of Science event was presented in partnership between the CUNY Graduate Center and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Center for Humanities & History of Modern Biology. It was made possible through the generous support of the BGI Nobel Laureates Archives Program.
Written by: Lisa Cruz, Vice President, Communications | cruz@cshl.edu | 516-367-6846