Chapter 1: Historic Nobel Prize for Women in Science

Today, I was ecstatic to learn that Jennifer Doudna, PhD, and Emmanuelle Charpentier, PhD, have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their groundbreaking work on the CRISPR genome-editing system. This award is particularly significant as it marks the first occasion an all-female team has won a Nobel Prize in any scientific category.

CRISPR, often referred to as “molecular scissors,” enables researchers to accurately edit and delete DNA in nearly all forms of life, including humans. This innovative technology has generated immense excitement due to its potential to address persistent health issues and enhance agricultural practices.

“It’s still early days, but this is a technology with great promise,” remarked Claes Gustafsson, the chairman of the Nobel Committee, in an interview following the announcement on Wednesday.

Doudna, from the University of California, Berkeley, and Charpentier, who is currently at the Max Planck Institute in Germany, began their collaboration in 2011. Their mission was to decode the enigma of CRISPR, which consists of repeating DNA sequences found in bacteria that defend against viral threats. In 2012, they published a landmark paper in the journal Science that outlined how this natural immune mechanism could be reengineered to identify and excise any genetic sequence, thus creating an accessible gene-editing tool.

During my time writing for OneZero, I have frequently discussed CRISPR and its trajectory in gene editing (my insights will continue to be featured in Future Human). For example, CRISPR is being explored as a means to combat sickle cell disease, restore vision in the visually impaired, and strengthen crops against the impacts of climate change. Moreover, during the COVID-19 pandemic, CRISPR was utilized as a diagnostic tool to identify the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in patients. Last year, I reported on the potential of CRISPR for rapid and cost-effective disease detection and had the opportunity to interview Doudna about this topic:

CRISPR Could Be the Future of Disease Diagnosis

The biotechnology tool best known for gene editing is being used to develop portable, at-home tests for infectious…

CRISPR Pioneer Jennifer Doudna on the Future of Disease Detection

The co-inventor of the groundbreaking gene editing technology talks to OneZero about a world where illness could be…

The remarkable ability of CRISPR to alter the genetic fabric of life also introduces critical ethical considerations regarding its application. In 2018, Chinese scientist He Jiankui drew global attention when he announced that he had used CRISPR to modify the genomes of two embryos, resulting in twin girls, to confer a protective trait against HIV. Recently, a Russian geneticist has proposed using CRISPR to alter the DNA of embryos from deaf couples with the aim of enabling them to have hearing children. Concerns are growing that CRISPR could one day be used to engineer “designer babies,” where parents could select desirable traits. At present, an international committee of experts has concluded that the technology is not sufficiently developed for use in creating gene-edited children.

“This is an extremely powerful tool that needs to be handled with great care,” Gustafsson stated. “It needs to be properly regulated. It needs to be used in a responsible manner.”