TOMSK, Oct 8 – RIA Tomsk. The CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system allowing to targeted change genetic information opens up prospects for various scientific research, treatment of hereditary, cancer diseases, Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) professor Konstantin Brazovsky commented on the announcement of the Nobel Prize laureates in Сhemistry of the creators of this method.
According to the press service of the university, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020 for such a method of genetic engineering as "genetic scissors" (CRISPR/Cas9) was received by Frenchwoman Emmanuelle Charpentier and American Jennifer Doudna. It is based on an element of the bacterial defense system that scientists have adapted to alter the DNA of plants, animals, and even humans. This technology allows to make "amendments" in just a few days.
"The creation of a CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system can be considered, without exaggeration, one of the key achievements of biomedical science in general and genetic engineering in particular ... Directed changes in genetic information open up unlimited prospects for creating plants and animals with desired properties, treating hereditary diseases, suppressing growth of tumor cells and many other applications", – Brazovsky is quoted.According to the scientist, today this technology is already used to treat genetic diseases, to combat antibiotic-resistant microorganisms, clinical trials of drugs are carried out to combat certain types of cancer with its use.
"In my opinion, the main merit of the founders of the CRISPR/Cas9 method lies in the creation of a reliable tool, equally suitable for both advanced scientific research and everyday use in practical applications", – the professor is quoted in the message.