Vietnam awards $3 mln prize to mRNA vaccine researchers

The annual VinFuture Prize, managed by the VinFuture Foundation which was set up by Vingroup chairman Pham Nhat Vuong and his wife Pham Thu Huong, is a global science and technology award to recognize groundbreaking scientific and technological discoveries.

The Prize on Thursday awarded four prizes: a VinFuture Grand Prize valued at $3 million and three special prizes, each valued at $500,000, for female innovators, innovators from developing countries, and innovators with outstanding achievements in emerging fields.

Three scientists: Hungarian biochemist Katalin Kariko, U.S. physician-scientist Drew Weissman and Canadian physicist and biochemist Pieter Rutter Cullis were awarded with the VinFuture Grand Prize valued at $3 million for their contributions to the development of the mRNA vaccine technology.

South African scientists Salim Abdool Karim and Quarraisha Abdool Karim were awarded a VinFuture Prize valued at $500,000 dedicated to developing country innovators for the invention of a gel with tenofovir, a product for women to prevent HIV infection.

U.S. scientist Zhenan Bao was awarded with a VinFuture Prize dedicated to female innovators for her research on “electronic skins” capable of stretching, healing like normal skins and are biodegradable.

U.S. scientist Omar M.Yaghi was awarded a VinFuture Prize for outstanding achievements in emerging fields for his research into water and material science.