The work of Katalin Karikó and Gábor Domokos laid the foundation for the oral covid vaccine
RNA-based vaccines were key elements in the fight against coronavirus, while also bringing sucessful protection against cancerous and hereditary diseases within reach. The first vaccines using this technology were launched in 2020, as a result of a collaboration between the companies Pfizer and Biontech. The scientists behind the technology are Drew Weissman and Katalin Karikó, a Hungarian biochemist who started her research in the US in 1990. Karikó has recieved numerous awards in the past two years, and according to professionals, she might stand a chance in winning the Nobel-Prize.
Gábor Domokos and Péter Várkonyi, working in a seemingly completely different field from Karikó, have played a pivotal role in the development of insulin capsules for diabetics. The pill has originated by the researchers of the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University. It substitutes the inconvenience of daily injections, as it allows the ingredients to enter the bloodstream directly through the stomach lining, avoiding the harmful effects of stomach acid.
For years, scientific interest has been focused on alternative solutions to the traditionally injectable substances. On the 31th of January, MIT News reported on the latest stage of development, nominally an oral capsule that they think could replace mRNA vaccines altogether. In their article, chemical engineer Robert Langer and gastroenterologist Giovanni Traverso refer to the work of Katalin Karikó, Gábor Domokos and Péter Várkonyi. In terms of mechanics, the capsule is able to be absorbed in the right part of the stomach by relying solely on gravity due to its correct shape and weight distribution. The researchers considered the shape and weight distribution of the Gömböc to be the most suitable for this purpose.
I don't think it takes much imagination to understand how much advantage oral vaccines have over vaccine injections. You don't even need to go to the doctor, you just have to take it yourself. People would much rather swallow anything than allow themselves to be stung. There is also much less resistance to vaccines in oral cases ,Katalin Kariko told Qubit journalists about the role of oral vaccines. On the unexpected meeting of mRNA technology and the mono-monostatic body, she stated; I have the Gömböc on my shelf and I'm playing around with it a lot myself. to understand what it's all about.