For two days, Szeged is the world’s science capital. Coming from 15 countries, leading researchers in mRNA technology, including Nobel laureates Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman, have gathered in the Hungarian city. The mRNA conference, taking place on November 7–8 at the József Attila Study and Information Center of the University of Szeged, marks the highlight of the Celebration of Hungarian Science series of events.
This year’s most prominent scientific event in Hungary focuses on messenger mRNA, hailed as the ‘Swiss Army knife’ of medical advancements, with the world’s top mRNA researchers delivering lectures on November 7–8, 2024, at the conference organized by the University of Szeged. The international symposium officially opened on November 7, 2024, at the József Attila Study and Information Center of the University, where the 2022 awardees of the Novo Nordisk Foundation have brought together leading scientists from 15 countries for two days dedicated to exploring the latest breakthroughs in the field.
At the ceremonial opening of the mRNA conference, Katalin Karikó, Nobel Prize-winning research professor from the University of Szeged, delivered her heartfelt greeting to all. Although not born in Szeged, she reflected on how she spent some of the happiest years of her life in the city: not only did she study at the university in Szeged, but she also met her husband and gave birth to their daughter in Szeged – on November 8, “just a few years ago.” Professor Karikó expressed her hope that conference attendees would gain renewed inspiration and motivation from the event, as well as insights into the latest advancements made by leading experts from around the world.
Professor Dr. László Rovó, Rector of the University of Szeged, warmly welcomed the participants on behalf of the conference host, the University of Szeged, and its entire community. In his opening remarks, he noted that the University of Szeged is one of Hungary’s most distinguished institutions of higher education, with a legacy of over 100 years in biochemical and molecular biology research. He went on to highlight that it was the outstanding biological and medical research conducted at the University of Szeged over several decades that laid the foundation for the establishment of the Szeged Biological Research Center of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 1973.
“Over the past two years, Professor Katalin Karikó has delivered several lectures at our university, sharing the journey that led to her Nobel Prize-winning discoveries. We are now delighted to also welcome her research partner, Professor Drew Weissman, and look forward to the presentations over the next two days on therapeutic approaches based on the new mRNA technology. I am confident that mRNA research will fundamentally transform medical treatment across various fields of medicine within just a few years. In closing, we can also declare that mRNA research has returned to Szeged and to our university,” commented the rector.
At the start of the conference, Professor Martin Ridderstråle, representing the Novo Nordisk Foundation, introduced the foundation supporting the event. Following him, another representative from the Danish foundation, Professor Jørgen Frøkiær, spoke about the Novo Nordisk Prize and the 2022 awardees. Conference participants learned that the Novo Nordisk Foundation had previously focused on supporting researchers in Nordic countries – Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark – but a few years ago began expanding its reach to other parts of the world. Subsequently, in 2022, the Foundation’s prize was awarded to the University of Szeged’s Nobel Prize-winning professor, Katalin Karikó, along with her three research partners, Drew Weissman, Özlem Türeci, and Uğur Şahin. In its September 23, 2021, announcement, the Novo Nordisk Foundation – one of Europe’s wealthiest organizations funding basic research – stated that the four scientists played a pioneering role in fundamental research and in developing the first vaccine that contributed to combating the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Dr. Drew Weissman (on the right) entering the József Attila Study and Information Center at the University of Szeged on November 7, 2024.
At the mRNA conference hosted by the University of Szeged and funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, participants will have the chance to hear first-hand about the latest achievements in mRNA technology from prominent speakers, including Katalin Karikó, Drew Weissman, Uğur Şahin, Robin Shattock, Norbert Pardi, Tamás Kiss, and Antal Nógrádi, a leading professor at the Institute of Anatomy, Histology, and Embryology at the Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School of the University of Szeged.
The world’s leading experts will present on current topics in mRNA research, including immune responses to mRNA vaccines, RNA modifications, the delivery of lipid nanoparticles, as well as new developments in mRNA-based therapies for cancer and other diseases. Participants will also learn about the clinical applications of mRNA therapies and explore strategies for efficient and cost-effective production.
The University of Szeged is providing continuous updates about the event on its website and social media platforms.
Original Hungarian text by Ferenc Lévai
Photos by Ádám Kovács-Jerney, István Sahin-Tóth
