Brussels, Belgium
October 8, 2020
Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier, inventors of the Crispr-Cas genome editing tool, receive the 2020 Nobel prize in Chemistry.
Euroseeds congratulates the two scientists! “This price is well deserved!”, comments Garlich von Essen, Secretary General of Euroseeds.
The two scientists discovered a genetic tool that can be used to change the DNA of animals, plants and microorganisms with extremely high precision. Although the tool is less than a decade old, it already has a revolutionary impact on life sciences, contributing to new cancer therapies as well as to more efficient plant breeding for sustainable agriculture.
Since Charpentier and Doudna discovered the CRISPR genetic scissors in 2012, their use has literally exploded. They already contributed to many important discoveries in basic research, and plant researchers have already been able to develop first crops that better withstand climate threats as well as new pests and diseases.
“Our future world and specifically our agriculture rely on these important discoveries in science to apply them for mitigating the impact of climate change and sustainably preserving food security.”
Garlich von Essen, Secretary General, Euroseeds
The results of a survey among 62 private plant breeding companies conducted by Euroseeds confirm the enormous interest of companies in using these new genetic tools for a wide range of crop species and traits.
“This is why Euroseeds strongly advocates for a regulatory system that enables the use of these new tools for the EU market and beyond to fully explore their great potential for the benefits of society and our environment.”
Garlich von Essen, Secretary General, Euroseeds
Read the press statement on the Nobel Prize website.
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