A Malayali presence in Nobel Prize winner Doudna’s research team

Kottayam: Two women scientists, Frenchwoman Emmanuelle Charpentier and American Jennifer A. Doudna, won the Nobel Prize in chemistry on Wednesday for developing a method of genome editing likened to molecular scissors that offer the promise of one day curing inherited diseases and even cancer.

In this context, Gayathri Vijayakumar, the small but significant Malayali presence in Doudna's research team is a matter of pride for all Keralites.

Kottayam native Gayathri Vijayakumar is a scientist with Scribe Therapeutics, Doudna's startup company.

Doudna had started Scribe to develop Crispr-Cas9, the gene-editing technique. The startup carries out cutting-edge research on genome editing to prevent diseases.

Gayathri, who went to the US for her higher studies 11 years ago, has been part of Doudna's team for the past one year.

After completing BTech, Gayathri joined the New York University for higher studies in biotechnology. She is the daughter of Thiruvathukkal native T K Vijayakumar and Dr Meera Vijayakumar.

Crispr-Cas9: The gene-editing technique

Charpentier and Doudna developed a method known as CRISPR/Cas9 that can be used to change the DNA of animals, plants and microorganisms with extremely high precision.

There is enormous power in this genetic tool, which affects us all, said Claes Gustafsson, chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry. "It has not only revolutionized basic science, but also resulted in innovative crops and will lead to groundbreaking new medical treatments.

Doudna told The Associated Press about her surprise at receiving the early morning call.

I literally just found out, I'm in shock," she said. "I was sound asleep. My greatest hope is that it's used for good, to uncover new mysteries in biology and to benefit humankind, Doudna said.

The prestigious award comes with a gold medal and prize money of 10 million kronor (more than USD 1.1 million), courtesy of a bequest left more than a century ago by the prize's creator, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel. The amount was increased recently to adjust for inflation.