Nobel Prize for Genome Editing Pioneers
PRESS RELEASE
Brussels, 7 October 2020: Today, genome editing pioneers Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2020. They developed the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system – a promising technique using genetic scissors to edit DNA with extremely high precision.
“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,” stated Claes Gustafsson, chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry.
“On behalf of the European bioindustries, EuropaBio wholeheartedly congratulates the genome editing pioneers, and hopes that the prize will increase public awareness and political support for an innovation friendly approach also in the EU”, commented Bernard Grimm, Healthcare Biotech Director of EuropaBio.