Alumnus Drew Weissman Wins Nobel Prize
Oct. 2, 2023
Dear Friends,
I am proud to share that Drew Weissman ’81, MA’81, P’15, H’23, has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his leading-edge research on the modification of nucleic acids for RNA therapeutics, science that laid the groundwork for Moderna and Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccines.
Weissman won the prize alongside his research partner, Katalin Karikó, H’23, both of whom were honorary degree recipients at last May’s Commencement exercises. Together, their visionary work saved millions of lives, altered the course of a pandemic and advanced human knowledge and understanding in ways that will shape vaccine research for generations to come. Their achievement is truly one of the great scientific accomplishments of our time.
Weissman joins Roderick MacKinnon ’78 and faculty Michael Rosbash and Jeffrey Hall as fellow Brandeisians who have won Nobel Prizes. MacKinnon won in chemistry; Rosbash and Hall won for physiology or medicine.
We're incredibly fortunate to count Weissman as a great friend to Brandeis, and one who has spoken eloquently about the impact that a Brandeis education has had on his life and career.
A student of biochemistry and enzymology during his time on campus, Weissman said in his Commencement remarks, "It is here that I honed my critical thinking skills, starting as a freshman in Shapiro Hall, and nurtured my passion for scientific exploration in Professor Gerry Fasman's biochemistry lab. I learned the value of collaboration and open-mindedness while being an active student, campus member, and part-time activist."
I encourage you to learn more about Weissman's career as a scientist and the impact that Brandeis has had on his life, both inside the research lab and outside of it, in this piece in Brandeis Stories.
This is a great day for Brandeis, as we celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of one of our own, whose pioneering research in basic science has helped to repair the world on a massive scale.
My sincere congratulations to Drew and Katalin.
Sincerely,
Ron Liebowitz