Al Jazeera English published this video item, entitled “Nobel Prize in chemistry awarded for ‘gene scissors’” – below is their description.
Scientists Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna were awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the development of a method for genome editing. Charpentier, who is French, and Doudna, an American, become the sixth and seventh women to win a Nobel Prize for chemistry, joining the likes of Marie Curie (1911) and, more recently, Frances Arnold (2018). “Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A Doudna have discovered one of gene technology’s sharpest tools: the CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors,” the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said in a statement on Wednesday on awarding the 10 million Swedish crown ($1.1m) prize. “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.” “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 revolutionised basic science, but also resulted in innovative crops and will lead to ground-breaking new medical treatments.” Al Jazeera’s Leah Harding reports. –
Al Jazeera English YouTube Channel
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