Meet the scientist couple driving an mRNA vaccine revolution | Uğur Şahin and Özlem Türeci

TED Talks Daily

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4.1 • 11.9K Ratings

🗓️ 3 August 2021

⏱️ 22 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

As COVID-19 spread, BioNTech cofounders Uğur Şahin and Özlem Türeci had one goal: to make a safe, effective vaccine faster than ever before. In this illuminating conversation with head of TED Chris Anderson, the immunologists (and married couple) share the fascinating story of how their decades of mRNA research powered the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine -- and forecast what this breakthrough science could mean for the future of vaccines and other immunotherapy treatments.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	It's TED Talks Daily. I'm Elise Hugh. Those of us fortunate enough to have coronavirus vaccines
0:09.4	in our bodies have MRNA to thank for keeping us largely protected from the worst of the virus.
0:14.2	In today's illuminating conversation recorded for Ted Monterey in 2021 between the head of TED, Chris
0:19.9	Anderson, and the co-founders of
0:21.8	Biontech, Uzl M-Tur-Saheji, and Uri-Shahin.
0:24.8	We learn about the breakthrough MRNA work they've been doing for years, how it led to the
0:30.0	speedy development of a coronavirus vaccine to beat back the pandemic and the potential for
0:34.6	this science ahead.
0:38.7	Dr. Shaheen and Dr. Tereji, welcome.
0:43.2	Such a treat to speak with you.
0:45.6	Thank you very much, Chris.
0:47.0	It's a pleasure to be here.
0:49.2	So, Tommy, as you think back over the last 18 months,
0:52.6	what words pop to mind for you?
0:56.9	Well, one word which comes to mind is breathless.
1:01.0	It was indeed a breathless 16, 17 months for us.
1:05.3	When we started in January last year, it was already at that time clear to us that we were already in a pandemic.
1:14.0	What was not known was how fast this pandemic would evolve and whether we would have the time in
1:21.9	the first place to have a vaccine ready soon enough in due time.
1:28.4	And understanding this, it meant for us there was not even one day to lose.
1:33.8	And this was the mindset of the entire team here in Mainz and at Biontech and later on also of
1:42.3	our partners, which were involved, Pfizer and others, to
	...

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