The HUN-REN Biological Research Centre in Szeged (HUN-REN BRC) has commemorated its 50th anniversary with a conference featuring a presentation by Nobel laureate Katalin Karikó, who began her research which later served as the basis for the development of the mRNA-based vaccine at HUN-REN BRC. The institution was inaugurated on October 11, 1973, with the participation of Nobel laureate Hungarian scientist Albert Szent-Györgyi. János Csák, the Minister responsible for culture and innovation and Balázs Gulyás, President of HUN-REN also addressed the audience at the anniversary event.
Katalin Karikó, the recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine on 2 October 2023, delivered a presentation in which she explained how her experiments initiated at HUN-REN BRC in Szeged ultimately resulted in the clinical use of mRNA vaccines.
During the event, Director General Ferenc Nagy highlighted the institution's commitment to not only pursuing new research directions and delivering broadly applicable results but also to prioritising professional training and the development of the next generation of researchers. It is widely acknowledged that many globally renowned researchers commenced their scientific careers here. He further expressed his belief that by supporting and guiding young talents and upholding an unwavering dedication to excellence, the research site ensures its continued success and competitiveness.
In the 1970s, the concepts related to multidisciplinary research, as articulated by the intellectual founder of the institution, Bruno F. Straub, the discoverer of actin muscle protein, appeared futuristic. Since then, the research site has become the leading institution in life sciences research in Hungary. In the fields of plant biology, biophysics, biochemistry, and genetics, it quickly garnered international recognition and acclaim, a position it has upheld to this day.
HUN-REN BRC has played a pioneering role in introducing the grounds of molecular biology to Hungary, developing techniques enabling bioenergetic research and plant transformation, investigating photosynthesis processes, identifying plant and bacterial factors responsible for symbiotic nitrogen fixation, and producing the first human artificial chromosome. The institution has consistently aligned its research profile with the rapid advancements in science, making it a leading player in systems and synthetic biology, as well as evolutionary and single-cell biology research on an international scale.
The research centre highly prioritises effective collaboration with its key strategic partners, primarily with the University of Szeged, as well as the ELI ALPS Laser Research Institute, the Hungarian Molecular Medicine Excellence Center, and the Biotechnology National Laboratory. This collaborative effort has the potential to position Szeged as a prominent scientific hub in Central and Eastern Europe in the coming years.