Stockholm: Two scientists won the Nobel Prize in chemistry Wednesday for developing a method of genome editing likened to molecular scissors that offer the promise of one day curing inherited diseases and even cancer.
Working on opposite sides of the Atlantic, Frenchwoman Emmanuelle Charpentier and American Jennifer A. Doudna developed a method known as CRISPR/Cas9 that can be used to change the DNA of animals, plants and microorganisms with extremely high precision. There is enormous power in this genetic tool, which affects us all, said Claes Gustafsson, chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry. “It has not only revolutionized basic science, but also resulted in innovative crops and will lead to groundbreaking new medical treatments.
Asked about the fact that it was the first time that two women have won the chemistry Nobel together, Charpentier said she hoped it would encourage others. I wish that this will provide a positive message to young girls who would like to follow the path of science”. (AP)
