Robert S. Langer, Institute Professor at MIT and a co‑founder of Moderna, is a pioneer in delivering nucleic acids into the body via nanoparticles. Today’s mRNA vaccines owe much to his early work overcoming seemingly impossible delivery challenges

Early Career & Mentorship

After earning his chemical engineering doctorate at MIT in 1974, Langer initially struggled to find his path. A former mentor, Judah Folkman from Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard, helped him pivot into biomedical research focused on angiogenesis

Nanoparticle Delivery Breakthrough

Between 1974–1977, Langer and Folkman tackled the monumental challenge of transporting large molecules across biological barriers. After hundreds of failures, they succeeded in engineering microspheres to deliver DNA/RNA in vivo, publishing the landmark results in Nature—marking the first demonstration of sustained nucleic acid delivery via nanoparticles

Patent Struggles & Persistence

Their groundbreaking patent faced five consecutive rejections. Langer was urged to give up—but he persevered by using scientific citation searches to locate supportive affidavits from top materials scientists. His persistence paid off: the patent was granted, and his work laid the groundwork for multiple biotech ventures

“They said I should give up, but I don’t like to give up.”

Lesson Learned: Champion Your Own Work

Langer emphasizes self-advocacy in science: “If you’re not your own champion, nobody else will be.” He actively pursued patents and commercial translation, inspiring his students to transform research into real-world solutions—many now used in clinical applications

Impact & Legacy

Langer’s declared mission—using science to relieve suffering and prolong life—has borne fruit. With over 1,500 papers, countless patents, and the founding of multiple biotech companies (including Moderna), he stands as one of the most influential figures in modern biomedical science