[ad_1]
The Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm has announced who will receive the Nobel Prize in Chemistry this year: the award goes to genetic researchers Emmanuelle Charpentier from France and Jennifer A. Doudna from the United States for the discovery of the Crispr-Cas9 gene scissors .
Bacteria use genetic scissors to protect themselves from attackers, such as viruses, which incorporate their genetic material into DNA. In the meantime, however, thousands of researchers are working with the tool, which can cut gene sequences, turn them off or replace them with others, in viruses, plants, animals and also in humans. Scientists have been using the Crispr-Cas9 genetic scissors since its discovery eight years ago as a kind of miracle weapon to target and correct defective areas in DNA, so-called mutations.
In 2013, the renowned magazine “Science” included the discovery of Crispr-Cas9 among the ten most important scientific achievements. In 2015, Time magazine included Charpentier in the list of the most influential personalities in the world. The French Charpentier works as director at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin. Before that, he conducted research at the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research in Braunschweig. Doudna is a professor at the renowned University of Berkeley in the US state of California.
Charpentier commented on her award: “I would like this to send a message to young women who want to follow the path of science and show them that women in science can also make an impact through their research.”
“Revolutionize the life sciences”
Crispr-Cas9 has revolutionized molecular life sciences, brought new possibilities for plant breeding, contributed to innovative cancer therapies, and made the dream of curing inherited diseases come true, justified the Nobel Prize. Charpentier and Doudna used one of the sharpest tools in genetic engineering.
The most prestigious award for chemists this year is endowed with a total of ten million crowns (about 950,000 euros), one million crowns more than last year. The award ceremony traditionally takes place on December 10, the anniversary of founder Alfred Nobel’s death.
Since 1901, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to 183 different researchers. One of them, the British Frederick Sanger, received it twice. So far, five women have been among the winners, for example Marie Curie in 1911, who discovered the radioactive elements polonium and radium.
On Monday, the Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to virologists Harvey J. Alter (US), Michael Houghton (Great Britain) and Charles M. Rice (US). They made an important contribution to the discovery of the hepatitis C virus.
On Tuesday it was announced that German astrophysicist Reinhard Genzel would receive the Nobel Prize in Physics. Together with the American researcher Andrea Ghez, he discovered the supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way. Along with them, the British Roger Penrose will be honored, who recognized that the formation of black holes is a prediction of general relativity.
This year’s Nobel Prize for Literature will be announced on Thursday and the Peace Prize will be announced on Friday.
In 2019, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry went to the American John Goodenough, of American parents in Jena, the British Stanley Whittingham and the Japanese Akira Yoshino. They had developed rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that are used in many products, such as mobile phones, laptops, and electric vehicles. Born in 1922, Goodenough, at the age of 97, was the oldest person to have received a Nobel Prize.
