UT Tyler Hosts Nobel Prize Laureate Dr. George P. Smith
TYLER (September 18, 2023) – The University of Texas at Tyler hosted Dr. George P. Smith, a molecular biologist and the 2018 Nobel Prize Laureate in Chemistry, for a presentation on the impact of COVID-19 RNA vaccines on both scientific advancement and the economy.
“We were deeply honored to have hosted Dr. George P. Smith at our campus,” said Dr. Torry Tucker, associate dean for research at the UT Tyler School of Medicine. “Dr. Smith’s lecture provided our university community with a unique opportunity to gain insights into the complexities of scientific research and its real-world applications.”
During his presentation, Dr. Smith explained the mechanics of RNA vaccines—how they’re developed and how they function. Additionally, Dr. Smith provided a thought-provoking analysis of the economic implications associated with these vaccines and an alternative for funding drug development in the future.
“I would like to thank everyone who contributed to Dr. Smith’s visit to UT Tyler—and to Dr. Smith for sharing his visions with our students, faculty, medical professionals and members of community,” said Dr. Andrey A. Komissarov, Professor of Cellular and Molecular Biology. “My lab is working towards novel approaches to treatment of infectious and traumatic pleural injury, and we share Dr. Smith’s vision, where academic scientists from different labs, institutions and even countries could work together for the benefit of all patients.”
Dr. George P. Smith received his Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from Haverford College, completed graduate work in molecular immunology at the Massachusetts General Hospital and obtained his PhD in bacteriology and immunology from Harvard University. He is a Curators’ Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences at the University of Missouri.
With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to nearly 10,000 students. Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.