07/10/2020
Good News for Rare Disease Community
Now, researchers can change the DNA 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.’
Well done to Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna who ’discovered 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.’
Many had doubted that Crispr would be awarded – yet. It’s impact on the field of genetic engineering cannot be overstated. It’s led to precision engineering of organisms – and even (illegally) humans – but the discoverers are engaged in a legal fight over who owns the rights to the technology. Nobel watchers had assumed there prize wouldn’t be awarded until this legal dispute was resolved.