The Nobel Prize in medicine has been awarded to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman for discoveries that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19.
Thomas Perlmann, secretary of the Nobel Assembly, announced the award Monday in Stockholm.
The Nobel Prizes carry a cash award of 11 million Swedish kronor, approximately €950,000. The money comes from a bequest left by the prize’s creator, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel, who died in 1896. The prize money was raised by 1 million kronor this year because of the plunging value of the Swedish currency.
The news kicks off six days of Nobel Prize announcements beginning Monday.
Nobel announcements continue with the physics prize on Tuesday, chemistry on Wednesday and literature on Thursday. The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on Friday and the economics award on October 9.
The laureates are invited to receive their awards at ceremonies on December 10, the anniversary of Nobel’s death. The prestigious Peace Prize is handed out in Oslo, according to his wishes, while the other award ceremony is held in Stockholm.