mRNA stands for messenger ribonucleic acid and its purpose is to teach cells how to make proteins that initiate a response of immunity within the human body. The University of Pennsylvania, alongside world-renowned physician and researcher Dr. Drew Weissman created an NFT of the Covid vaccine. The token is a minute-long, 3D animation of the journey that the vaccine takes throughout the human body, and demonstrates how it operates at a molecular level.
Furthermore, the owner of the NFT will be given a storyboard highlighting what the token depicts, the patent documents from the University as well as a letter written by Dr. Weissman himself.
The development of the NFT itself was led by Wharton School’s Stevens Center for Innovation in Finance within the University, which boasts its own Blockchain Laboratory. Together with Penn Medicine and the Penn Center for Innovation, Penn Medicine and the Penn Center for Innovation all combined to bring the idea to life.
The token was sold via auction through Christie’s, with bidding starting at $50K on July 15th. On closing, ten days later, on the 25th, the NFT had been sold to the highest bidder for a whopping $226,800, with all proceeds going back to the University, specifically towards the research facilities at Penn Medicine.
Although the buyer is unknown, they are now owners of a piece of history, and the money exchanged will no doubt go a long way in the development of future breakthroughs in medicine.
While those outside the NFT space may preach insanity, this is another example of the good that comes from Web3 technologies.
