Why UPenn demoted Katalin Kariko for research that won her the Nobel Prize

University of Pennsylvania has received backlash for celebrating the scientist's success without acknowledging the struggles Kariko faced during her time at the institute

Katalin Kariko, alongside Drew Weissman, have been awarded the prestigious Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their research on mRNA vaccines, which was instrumental in combating the Covid-19 pandemic. The University of Pennsylvania, where Kariko had previously been on the path to professorship, has been celebrating the success by retweeting Nobel Prize posts on the scientist, posting on the UPenn blog and adding them to the "Penn Notables" page. However, during her interview with the Nobel Prize committee, Kariko revealed that her history with the Ivy League was a tremulous one and that the institute had not extended support for the very research she and Weissman were now receiving global recognition for.

 

Following the completion of her PhD in 1982, Kariko faced rejection from several labs in Europe. In 1985, Kariko and her husband decided to leave the communist regime in Hungary with their young daughter. Kariko reportedly smuggled research materials by sewing them into her daughter's teddy bear.

Upon arriving in Philadelphia, a job at Temple University eventually led to her dismissal due to clashes with her boss. Kariko continued her research at the University of Pennsylvania or UPenn, where she faced repeated troubles securing funding for her research. She had met Drew Weissman during her tenure at UPenn, and the two had started comparing their research and discoveries on mRNA.

Also Read: 2023 Nobel Prize in medicine goes to Katalin Karikó, Drew Weissman

In 1995, UPenn gave her an ultimatum: abandon her research or face a demotion and a pay cut. The university was reportedly dissatisfied with Kariko's inability to generate adequate funding for her research. During the time, many scientists were turning away from mRNA research, leading her UPenn bosses to consider mRNA "impractical", according to a report by Wired UK. During this time, Kariko was also battling cancer and her husband had become stranded in Hungary following visa issues.

"I thought of going somewhere else, or doing something else... maybe I'm not good enough, not smart enough," she revealed to the Nobel Prize committee.

Kariko stated that UPenn compelled her to retire due to her relentless pursuit of mRNA vaccine research.

"I was kicked out, from Penn, was forced to retire. Then my husband supported me and said that, you know, when (I) finally visited Germany and found that maybe BioNTech is the right place," she said.

Karikó's departure from UPenn in 2013 marked a turning point. She embraced an opportunity at BioNTech RNA Pharmaceuticals as the Vice President. According to Wired UK, UPenn had refused to reinstate her, stating that she was not "faculty quality". When Kariko told them about her departure, she claimed they laughed and said, "BioNTech doesn't even have a website."

Although UPenn is currently celebrating her achievements, the institution remains silent about her past struggles with the institute. The university issued a statement praising the "mRNA pioneers," highlighting their contribution to therapeutic advancements and pandemic response.

UPenn's President, Liz Magill, has lauded Kariko and Weissman's unwavering dedication, emphasising their ongoing commitment to their field.

After transcripts of her interview with the Nobel Prize committee were released, netizens expressed their anger towards the university for their past dismissal of the Nobel laureate. The Wired article from 2020, where Kariko spoke in greater detail about her time at UPenn and her treatment from her bosses, has also resurfaced and been reshared by many people on the X (formerly Twitter) platform. Mostly, people feel UPenn is piggybacking on Kariko's success without acknowledging their past actions.

Eric Feigl-Ding, the co-founder of The World Health Network, called out the institute, telling them to apologise to Kariko. Feigl-Ding wrote, "UPENN needs to apologise to Nobel Prize 2023 winner Dr. Kariko."

????UPENN needs to apologize to #NobelPrize2023 winner Dr. Kariko: "UPenn told me that they’d had a meeting and concluded that I was not of faculty quality. When I told them I was leaving, they laughed at me and said, ‘BioNTech doesn’t even have a website.’”@Penn -- apologize! pic.twitter.com/LgoTKgUi6j

— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) October 2, 2023

The University of Pennsylvania has yet to comment on the backlash it is currently receiving.