Béla Francia Biography
Béla Francia is an American recognized as the husband of Katalin Karikó, a prominent Hungarian-American biochemist with expertise in ribonucleic acid (RNA)-mediated mechanisms, particularly focusing on in vitro-transcribed messenger RNA (mRNA) for protein replacement therapy. Karikó is renowned for her pioneering work, which laid the scientific foundation for mRNA vaccines. Her contributions have been instrumental in overcoming significant challenges and skepticism within the scientific community regarding the use of mRNA for medical purposes.
Béla Francia Age
Béla is around 70 years old as of 2023, he was born in the United States. However, his wife Katalin Karikó is 68 years old as of 2023, she was born on January 17, 1955, in Szolnok, Hungary. She celebrates her birthday on January 17, every year.
Béla Francia Height
Béla stands at an average height of 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) tall.
Béla Francia Family
Béla was born and raised by his loving and caring parents, in the United States of America. After doing our research, details about his family, parents, and siblings are not publicly available. However, this section is under review and we are keeping tabs and will update these details once it is out.
Béla Francia Wife
Béla is happily married to Katalin Karikó, a distinguished Hungarian-American biochemist. Together, they are the proud parents of Susan Francia, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in rowing.
Additionally, they welcomed a grandson born in the United States in February 2021, through their daughter and son-in-law, architect Ryan Amos.
Béla Francia Daughter
Béla is indeed a proud father with one daughter, Susan Francia, who has achieved remarkable success in the world of rowing: Susan Francia is a Hungarian-American rower who has earned the prestigious distinction of being a two-time Olympic gold medalist.
Her upbringing took place in Abington, Pennsylvania, where she attended Abington Senior High School. Subsequently, she pursued her higher education at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 2004 with both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Criminology and Sociology.
Currently, Susan resides in Princeton, New Jersey, and is associated with the US Rowing Training Center. She was born on November 8, 1982, in Szeged, Hungary, making her a notable athlete with international origins and achievements in the sport of rowing.
Béla Francia Katalin Karikó
Katalin Karikó is a distinguished Hungarian-American biochemist renowned for her expertise in ribonucleic acid (RNA)-mediated mechanisms, particularly her pioneering work on in vitro-transcribed messenger RNA (mRNA) for protein replacement therapy.
Her groundbreaking contributions laid the scientific foundation for mRNA vaccines and overcame significant obstacles and skepticism within the scientific community. In recognition of her extraordinary achievements, Katalin Karikó was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2023, sharing the honor with American immunologist Drew Weissman.
Katalin was born on January 17, 1955, and spent her formative years in Kisújszállás, Hungary. Her upbringing was marked by modest circumstances, growing up in a small home without modern amenities like running water, a refrigerator, or a television. Her father worked as a butcher, while her mother was a bookkeeper.
Despite these challenges, she displayed exceptional aptitude in the field of science during her primary education, earning the remarkable achievement of third place in a biology competition in Hungary. She pursued her academic journey at the University of Szeged, where she obtained a B.Sc. degree in biology in 1978, followed by her Ph.D. in biochemistry in 1982.
She continued her research during her postdoctoral studies at the Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre of Hungary. It’s notable that during the years 1978 to 1985, Katalin Karikó was listed as an agent for the Hungarian secret police.
She has stated that she was coerced into this role out of fear for the potential repercussions on her career and possible reprisals against her father. In 1985, faced with a loss of funding for her lab, she made the courageous decision to leave Hungary and immigrate to the United States with her husband and their two-year-old daughter.
To fund their journey, they even resorted to unconventional means, smuggling £900 in a teddy bear. This money was obtained by selling their car and exchanging the proceeds for British pounds on the black market.
Katalin’s life and career are a testament to her determination, resilience, and groundbreaking contributions to the field of mRNA research, which have had a profound impact on the development of mRNA vaccines and medicine.
Béla Francia Social Media Contacts
- Youtube
- TikTok
- Website
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