Beneath every great biotech innovation lies many years of research. KI members Phil Sharp and Robert Langer reflect on the early days of RNA discovery and innovation in a Tech Review feature by MIT President Rafael Reif, profiling the Institute’s contributions to Moderna’s “overnight” success developing an mRNA vaccine for COVID-19. Both Sharp’s work on mRNAs and Langer’s on lipid nanoparticles began in the 1970’s. Similarly, both play an increasingly important role in human health, advancing new tools to fight COVID, cancer and other diseases.