Nobel Prize Winner Drew Weissman Is A Brandeis Alum

WALTHAM, MA — Brandeis University can claim a connection to this year's round of Nobel Prize winners in alumni Drew Weissman.

Weissman, along with co-winner Katalin Karikó, won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2023. The duo's work with messenger RNA is credited with laying the groundwork for the development of the COVID-19 vaccine.

But before developing the groundbreaking research, Weissman got his scientific start at Brandeis, where he graduated in 1981. He was the undergraduate keynote speaker in 2023, and shared a bit about his experience in Waltham.

“It is here that I honed my critical thinking skills, starting as a freshman in Shapiro Hall, and nurtured my passion for scientific exploration in Professor Gerry Fasman’s biochemistry lab,” Weissman said during his remarks, according to the university. “I learned the value of collaboration and open-mindedness while being an active student, campus member, and part-time activist.”

Weissman and Karikó both received honorary degrees at commencement and were also honored in 2021 with the 50th Annual Lewis S. Rosenstiel Award in Basic Medical Research.

“Drew’s pioneering research in messenger RNA is a true breakthrough for science. Through his visionary work, he has not only altered the course of a pandemic, but has advanced human knowledge and understanding in ways that will shape vaccine research for generations to come. His remarkable achievement is one of the great scientific accomplishments of our time,” said Brandeis President Ron Liebowitz.

Weissman grew up in Lexington, Mass., before attending Brandeis, where he earned both a bachelor's and master's degree. He graduated from Boston University in 1987 with an M.D. and Ph.D. in Immunology and Microbiology.