Pre-reading questions:
- Do you believe vaccines play a crucial role in global health efforts and disease prevention?
- Do you think the Nobel Prize significantly influences advancements and recognition in science, literature, peace efforts, and other fields?
Vocabulary:
- scientist /SAHY-uhn-tist/
- virus /VAHY-ruhs/
- recipe /RES-uh-pee/
- disease /dih-ZEEZ/
- illness /IL-nis/
[noun] – an expert who studies or works in one of the sciences
Albert Einstein is regarded as one of the greatest scientists of all time due to his contributions to the theory of relativity.
[noun] – a very small organism that causes disease in humans, animals, and plants
The flu is caused by a type of virus that infects the respiratory system.
[noun] – a set of instructions that guides the cells on how to create a specific protein
Scientists study the genetic recipe encoded in mRNA to understand how to target specific proteins for therapeutic purposes.
[noun] – (an) illness of people, animals, plants, etc., caused by infection or a failure of health rather than by an accident
Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease that affects millions of people in tropical regions, causing symptoms like fever, chills, and fatigue.
[noun] – a disease of the body or mind
Mental illnesses, such as depression or anxiety, can have a profound impact on a person’s well-being and daily functioning.
Article reading:
In 2005, they wrote a very important paper. At first, not many people paid attention to it. But during the Covid-19 pandemic, it became very useful. They did their research at the University of Pennsylvania. This helped Pfizer, BioNTech, and Moderna make mRNA vaccines. These vaccines are special because they do not use the actual virus. They only use instructions for the cells. Messenger RNA (mRNA) is like a recipe for cells. It tells them how to make proteins. With mRNA vaccines, this recipe helps cells make a part that looks like the virus. This makes the body create important immune parts. This is why these vaccines are special and important in fighting diseases. They give hope for the future, not just for Covid-19, but for other illnesses like malaria, RSV, and HIV.
True or False:
- The research by Karikó and Weissman was instrumental in the development of mRNA vaccines by Pfizer, BioNTech, and Moderna.
- mRNA vaccines provide instructions to cells to produce a part that resembles the virus, stimulating the immune system.
- Karikó and Weissman received the Nobel Prize for their work on traditional, non-mRNA vaccines.
- The Nobel Prize ceremony took place in Germany.
- The mRNA vaccines developed by Pfizer, BioNTech, and Moderna use the actual virus in their formulations.
Fill in the blanks:
| scientist | virus | recipe | disease | illness |
- Researchers are working to develop new ___________ of mRNA to combat various diseases and disorders at the molecular level.
- After a week of feeling unwell, she finally went to the doctor to determine the cause of her persistent __________.
- Neil deGrasse Tyson is a contemporary ___________ and astrophysicist known for his engaging and accessible explanations of complex scientific concepts.
- Vaccines work by introducing a weakened or inactive form of __________ to help the immune system recognize and fight it.
- In agriculture, plant __________ can devastate crops, leading to significant economic losses for farmers and potentially impacting food supplies.