PERHAPS A GIFT VOUCHER FOR MUM?: MOTHER'S DAY
Katalin Karik is a biochemist and winner of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Her pioneering research was the foundation of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 and paves the way for a host of breakthrough treatments for HIV, malaria and other life-threatening diseases. Born in Hungary, she has lived and worked for most of her adult life in the USA. Since 2020, she has been awarded over a hundred prizes in recognition of her work; two children's books have been written about her and a minor planet named after her. Now an honorary professor at numerous universities around the world, she continues in her work to advance new medical treatments where the need is most urgent. She and her husband Bela are the parents of two-time Olympic rowing champion Susan Francia.
Riveting . . . few have overcome adversity like Katalin Karikó . . . This remarkable memoir . . . is a joy to read, written in a direct style that revels in personal details while explaining clearly the science behind Karikó’s research -- Clive Cookson * Financial Times * This engrossing, touching tale of the tribulations of a scientist now recognised as one of the world’s greatest biochemists, a woman who helped create the vaccines that saved millions during the Covid-19 pandemic . . . How this success affected Karikó is explained in one of the most moving moments in Breaking Through . . . a vividly written, absorbing memoir of a life filled with triumphs . . . over near-constant adversity -- Robin McKie * Guardian * A classic in the genre of underdogs succeeding against the odds * New Scientist * Little did the public know that this feat [a Covid vaccine] was largely down to one woman's relentless perseverance. Breaking Through . . . charts the painstaking journey she undertook as a woman and an immigrant to convince the scientific community to take her work seriously . . . rich with colourful metaphors that bring the immune system to life . . . Karikó also lays bare a startling truth: even life-saving scientific discovery is not immune to ego, favouritism and sexism * New Statesman * Riveting. A true story of a brilliant biochemist who never gave up or gave in. You’ll be inspired by Karikó’s tenacity in the face of countless roadblocks and forever grateful for her life-saving contribution -- BONNIE GARMUS, author of Lessons in Chemistry Katalin Karikó’s story is an inspiration. Anyone who has ever doubted that science, innovation and persistence can change the world should read this book -- BILL GATES, author of How To Avoid a Climate Disaster A riveting testament to resilience and the power of unwavering belief -- JENNIFER DOUDNA, Nobel Prize laureate in chemistry The rousing story of a remarkable woman and her lifesaving contributions to medicine * Publishers Weekly * An outstanding memoir with a happy ending * Kirkus Reviews (starred) * Describes her vital, sometimes moving, personal and scientific struggle for success * Nature, Five of the Best Science Books for 2024 *
