The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet announced today that they have awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry jointly to Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna for their work on the development of a method for genome editing. Doudna is a dual member of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences. She served on the organizing committees for both joint projects between the NAM and NAS on gene editing, including the summits in 2015 and 2018.
The two laureates discovered of one of gene technology’s sharpest tools: the CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors. Using these, researchers can change the DNA of animals, plants and microorganisms with extremely high precision. This technology has had a revolutionary impact on the life sciences, is contributing to new cancer therapies and may make the dream of curing inherited diseases come true. These genetic scissors, according to NobelPrize.org, have taken the life sciences into a new epoch.
The NAM would like to congratulate both individuals for this incredible discovery and well-earned recognition.
