Two women have won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, for discovering the technology used to edit animal DNA, bringing the total number of female winners from five to seven.
Professor Emmanuelle Charpentier and Professor Jennifer Doudna, who developed the CRISPR ‘genetic scissors’ that revolutionised the field of genetic engineering are the first two women in history to jointly win the Chemistry Nobel Prize.
The researchers will equally share the 10 million Swedish kronor (£870,000) cash prize for their work in gene technology.
Professor Carpentier hopes this will act as a positive message to young girls in science, and show that women in science can and do make significant contributions.
