German, US scientists win Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing genome editing method

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2020 to two scientists, Emmanuelle Charpentier from Germany and Jennifer A. Doudna from USA ”for the development of a method for genome editing”.

The Swedish Academy of Sciences stated that Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna have discovered one of gene technology’s sharpest tools: the CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors.

It stated that by using the technology, 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,” it added.

“There is enormous power in this genetic tool, which affects us all. It has not only revolutionised basic science, but also resulted in innovative crops and will lead to ground-breaking new medical treatments,” chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry said.


Similarly, Tuesday’s prize for physics went to Roger Penrose of Britain, Reinhard Genzel of Germany and Andrea Ghez of the United States for their breakthroughs in understanding the mysteries of cosmic black holes.