Jennifer doudna and emmanuelle charpentier biography

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In 2002, Doudna moved to the University of California, Berkeley, where she was appointed Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The Nobel Committee cited their development of a method for genome editing as a tool that has revolutionized the life sciences. It also gave her access to the facilities of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

2020-10-07T00:00:00+00007 Oct 2020Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna 'for the development of a method for genome editing'.Doudna, CharpentierUniversity California Berkeley, University of UmeaA systematic search of viral genomes revealed CRISPR–Cas systems in bacteriophages opening up new possibilities for gene editing.

The gRNA is a synthetic combination of two naturally occurring RNA molecules that is engineered to be complementary to a specific 20-nucleotide sequence in the target genome.

When the gRNA-Cas9 complex is introduced into a cell, the guide RNA directs the Cas9 protein to the corresponding sequence on the DNA strand. Agricultural science is also leveraging CRISPR to address challenges related to food security and climate change.

As she says, 'It was my [first] taste of the thrill of scientific discovery, an experience that I’d read so much about - and it left me hungering for more.'(Doudna and Sternberg)

Doudna first became interested in biochemistry when she was about 12 or 13.

Following her doctorate, Doudna spent some time working with Szostak and then left to take up a postgraduate fellowship in the laboratory of Thomas Cech at the University of Colorado in Boulder.

One of these was Sharon Panasenko in whose laboratory she conducted her first scientific research. A number of chemistry professors made a profound impression on her during her undergraduate years. When asked about her success, Doudna comments that much of it was down to her luck in having good mentors early on in her career and having had the freedom to build up her laboratory team with people with whom she shares a personal chemistry and the same scientific vision and drive.

In therapeutic medicine, the technology holds promise for correcting the genetic mutations responsible for inherited disorders. (Marino)

Doudna is now closely linked to the invention of a new tool for gene editing that has radically reduced the time and work needed to edit the genome. Soon after they had puzzled this out, it suddenly dawned on Doudna and Jinek that the same bacterial defense system could be re-engineered in the laboratory to provide a tool for editing genes in all kinds of cells from different organisms.

Kahn, J., ‘The Crispr Quandary’, The New York Times, Nov 9 2015. The application was for a patent to cover the use of CRISPR-Cas9 for genome editing in vitro.2012-05-25T00:00:00+0000May 2012First patent application submitted for CRISPR-Cas 9 technologyDoudna, CharpentierUniversity of California Berkeley, University of ViennaM Jinek, K Chylinski, I Fonfara, M Hauer, J A Doudna, E Charpentier, 'A programmable dual-RNA-guided DNA endonuclease in adaptive bacterial immunity', Science, 337/6096 (2012): 816-21.2012-08-17T00:00:00+000017 Aug 2012Publication of radically new gene editing method that harnesses the CRISPR-Cas9 system Jinek, Chylinski, Fonfara, Hauer, Doudna, CharpentierUniversity of California BerkeleySummit recommended the continuation of basic and clinical research of the applications gene editing in somatic cells, but stressed it would be 'irresponsible to proceed with any clinical use of germline editing' until the technology's safety and efficacy issues were better understood.

Immediately warming to Charpentier, Doudna agreed to partner with her to find out more and sent over Martin Jinek, her postdoctoral researcher from the Czech Republic, to work with her. 2015-12-01T00:00:00+00001 Dec 2015International Summit on Human Gene Editing met to discuss the scientific, medical, ethical, and governance issues associated with recent advances in human gene-editing researchBaltimore, Doudna, Church, ZhangUS National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, US National Academy of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Royal SocietyDoudna and Charpentier's development of the CRISPR/Cas9 method together with other colleagues has radically transformed the process for gene editing.

This was inspired by two particular events. Scientists are developing crops with increased resistance to drought, pests, and disease, as well as enhancing nutritional content.

Future applications extend to innovative concepts such as the genetic modification of animal organs for safer xenotransplantation into humans and the use of gene drives to control populations of disease-carrying insects like mosquitos.

Receiving the Nobel Prize in Chemistry

The profound impact of their discovery led to Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier being awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

(Wang) Just how revolutionary the technique is proving can be seen from the case of engineering genetically modified mice, an animal model widely used to study genetics and the pathways of disease. She helped demonstrate that RNA not merely carries instructions from DNA for synthesising proteins but also helps catalyse the process.