SK bioscience and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) announced on March 14 the 2024 recipients of the Park MahnHoon Award, often regarded as the vaccine industry's equivalent of the Nobel Prize.
Professor Jan Holmgren of the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, has been named the sole recipient of the award, alongside co-recipients Professor Barney Graham of the Morehouse School of Medicine, USA, and Professor Jason McLellan of the University of Texas at Austin, USA. The award ceremony is scheduled for April 25, coinciding with the third anniversary of the passing of the late Vice Chairman Park MahnHoon, with the winners set to visit Korea.
The Park MahnHoon Award, sponsored by SK bioscience and organized by IVI, was established in 2021 to honor the lateSK bioscience Vice Chairman Park MahnHoon, a pioneering figure in cell culture vaccines in Korea. Recipients are nominated by individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to vaccine research, development, and dissemination worldwide. Submissions are reviewed by a selection committee comprised of 12 experts.
The first Park MahnHoon Award co-recipients, Professors Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman of the University of Pennsylvania, USA, subsequently received the world's most prestigious prize in physiology or medicine last year. The growing prestige of the winners has solidified the Park MahnHoon Award's status as one of the most esteemed accolades in the international vaccine field.
Professor Jan Holmgren, the sole recipient of the 2024 Park MahnHoon Award, has been recognized for his groundbreaking work in developing the world's first oral cholera vaccine. He demonstrated that the vaccine remains effective for over five years and is capable of controlling cholera outbreaks if over 60% of the population is immunized. Notably, the vaccine's affordability has facilitated widespread availability in low- and middle-income countries, thereby significantly improving public health.
Co-recipient Professor Barney Graham has been acknowledged for his pivotal role in the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines and antibody therapeutics, achieved through innovative antigen design, reagent development, and research into vaccine delivery and manufacturing technologies. Dr. Graham's research on respiratory infectious diseases and emerging viruses culminated in the development of the first mRNA vaccine, earning him recognition as one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2021.
Professor Jason McLellan has also been lauded for his contributions to molecular biology, collaborating with Graham to develop COVID-19 and RSV vaccines. His research into the structure and function of viral and bacterial proteins led to the formulation of protein design methods, which have proven instrumental in the development of COVID-19 and RSV vaccines. These advancements have been integrated into the majority of current COVID-19 vaccines.
