The story of Katalin Karikó—a scientist key to the development of the mRNA vaccine for Covid-19—is one of perseverance and dedication.
Born in Hungary in 1955, Kati Karikó has never been a stranger to stacked odds. From her childhood as the daughter of a political dissenter, her young adulthood battling for access to the best science education Hungary offered, and her career working in the trenches of the relentlessly hierarchical system of academic science, her path to success proved a winding one. With this timely book, McPherson sheds light as much on the quirks and pitfalls of academic and industrial science as on the scientific discoveries that paved the way for the mRNA vaccine. Contextualizing Karikó’s struggles within her identities as a woman and an immigrant to America, the author highlights the biases and the rigid definitions of success that continue to characterize many hallowed institutions. The descriptions of scientific concepts are succinct and clear, providing enough detail that readers will be left informed but not overwhelmed with minutiae. Frequent inserts offer historical context and colorful detail. The controversies and misinformation surrounding the development of vaccines are touched upon but not explored deeply. The work shines most when elucidating the long path to scientific discovery, including the many failed experiments and minor discoveries that necessarily precede breakthroughs.
A stimulating and accessible foray into recent scientific history.
(timelines, glossary, source notes, bibliography, further information, index, photo credits) (Nonfiction. 12-18)