Wednesday: Chemistry
To: Emmanuelle Charpentier (France, working in Germany) and Jennifer A. Doudna (U.S.A.)
For: The development of the Crispr/Cas9 gene "scissor" system allowing for targeted, highly accurate genome modification - including germline manipulation.
There is no biology Nobel, so groundbreaking progress in the life sciences often has to be diverted either into "Medicine and Physiology" or "Chemistry". The Chemistry Nobels on the one hand include Marie Curie's prize for the discovery of Radium and Polonium (which might be considered rather physcs-y) , but on the other, it is often repurposed as a life sciences award with more "bio" than "chemical" in "biochemical".
This year is a prime example: The Crispr enzyme comes from a human-pathogenic bacterium
streptococcus pyogenes, the agent that causes "classic" strep and scarlet fever. The target of the gene "scissor" system that the two scientists developed is muliticellular organisms, so the relation to chemistry is a bit tenuous.
I like this one as well, because it is a courageous decision: Crispr/Cas 9 is the first time humans can reliably, precisely and accurately manipulate genetic information of whole eukaryotic multicellular organisms, including themselves, includign the so-called germline. It's the first time we have power over our own heredity, and it opens the door to unheard-of ethical conondra. To reward the discovery with a Nobel is to highlight the importance of this step. The prize, in the word of nobel's will, is "for those who brought the greatest benefit to humanity in the past year". It's saying to humanity, this what you can do, put it to humanity's benefit.
More on Crispr/Cas9, in an exquisite musical garment, can be found here, along with further information. The song tells you how it all works AND why this new instrument may be a two-edged sword. Enjoy.