UniSR hosts Drew Weissman, Nobel Prize in Medicine 2023

On Monday 14^th October 2024, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University will host Dr. Drew Weissman, Nobel Prize in Medicine 2023, for the conferment of the Honorary Degree in Biotechnology and Medical Biology, chaired by Prof. Giorgio Casari. He will be honoured for his outstanding contributions to research in immunology and medical biotechnology and for his studies on mRNA, which enabled the development of modern anti-Covid-19 vaccines.

An occasion of extreme importance and great pride for the entire University, which is preparing to attend the Lectio Magistralis held by Dr. Drew Weissman on the topic of Nucleoside Modified mRNA-LNP Therapeutics. A unique opportunity to gain a privileged perspective on recent scientific developments and prospects in medicine from the testimony of one of its most authoritative and recognised voices worldwide.

Drew Weissman was born in Lexington, Massachusetts, on 7^th September 1959. He is the “Roberts Family Professor in Vaccine Research” and director of the Penn Institute for RNA Innovation at the Perelman School of Medicine. He is recognized for his work alongside Katalin Karikó in discovering the modified mRNA technology, which has launched a new era of vaccine development. Their mRNA research breakthrough has been used in both the BioNTech/Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines and has revolutionized the field of vaccine development. Beyond infectious disease vaccines, his lab is developing vaccines for autoimmune diseases and food and aero allergens.

Drew Weissman earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Biochemistry and Enzymology from Brandeis University in 1981 and his M.D. and Ph.D. in Immunology and Microbiology in 1987 at Boston University School of Medicine. Following a residency at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, he took a fellowship at the National Institutes of Health, where he worked with Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Dr. Weissman hold many patents and has published over 300 papers. He has been recognized with numerous awards including the Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award, the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, the Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research, and the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

The 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Katalin Karikò and Drew Weissman for their discoveries that enabled the development of mRNA vaccines, the technology in use for anti-Covid-19 vaccines, among the safest and most effective ever created. They have demonstrated which chemical modifications make mRNA more stable, bypassing degradation by the immune system and allowing its use as a drug with many fields of application.

mRNA vaccines represent a breakthrough in modern medicine due to their ability to provide a rapid and effective response to infectious diseases, particularly Covid-19. This innovative technology uses mRNA to instruct the body's cells to produce a viral protein critical for viral replication, the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein, which mediates its entry into the target cell, thus stimulating the immune system to generate a protective response. Rapid development, flexible adaptation to viral variants and high efficacy have allowed the pandemic to be tackled in record time and saved millions of lives.

In addition to the results obtained against Covid-19, mRNA vaccines have the potential to be used in other therapeutic areas, such as in the treatment of cancer. Thanks to this technology, new vaccines can be rapidly developed in response to viral mutations or emerging diseases, opening new frontiers in medical research. The global impact of mRNA vaccines has not only saved lives, but has also stimulated investment and research in biotechnology, which is the basis for continued health development.

The event will be held on Monday 14^th October 2024 at Dibit 1, Milano Olgettina Campus.

It is open to the entire academic and administrative community of the University: students, faculty and members of the administrative staff are invited to attend the ceremony, with lectio magistralis and conferment of the Honorary Degree.

The event with Drew Weissman represents an unmissable opportunity for discussion and dialogue with a leading figure in the world of medicine and research, which UniSR is committed to promoting as an experience of active and inclusive participation. An invaluable opportunity to see first-hand the contribution that each can make to scientific innovation and improving everyone’s life.

Further communications with more details on how to participate will follow by e-mail.