This year’s Nobel Prize in chemistry has been awarded to Emmanuelle Charpentier of France and Jennifer Doudna of the US for their pioneering work in developing the Crispr gene editing technique that has transformed biology research.
The “genetic scissors” developed by Professors Charpentier and Doudna have had a transformational impact, enabling researchers to change the DNA of animals, plants and microbes far more precisely than older genetic engineering techniques.
“It has not only revolutionised basic science but also resulted in innovative crops and will lead to groundbreaking new medical treatments,” said Claes Gustafsson, chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, on Wednesday.