On October 2, grantee Drew Weissmann shared the Nobel Prize with Katalin Karikó for development of messenger RNA vaccines. In 2005, Weissman and Karikó overcame a technical hurdle that had previously prevented the safe use of mRNA vaccines. Their breakthrough made it possible to develop and deploy COVID-19 vaccines in less than a year.

On October 4, grantees David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian shared the Nobel Prize for discovering the molecules (ion channels) that allow us to sense heat, cold, and touch. Julius identified the type of ion channel that enables us to sense “heat” from high temperatures and spicy foods. Separately, Patapoutian identified the ion channel that conveys the sensation of being physically touched.

In March, NIDCR launched the Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Tissue Regeneration Consortium (DOCTRC). The consortium aims to leverage a variety of strategies to regrow and restore function to dental, oral, and craniofacial tissues, including gums, bone, skin, nerves, and salivary glands. 

Along with two other researchers, NIDCR grantee Elizabeth Blackburn discovered that telomeres, the end caps of chromosomes, keep DNA from degrading during cell division and identified telomerase, the enzyme that produces them. For insights with profound implications for cancer treatment and the study of aging, Blackburn received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in Stockholm in December.