Emmanuelle Charpentier

b. 1968 · France · Co-developer of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing.

Contribution

With Jennifer Doudna (2012), showed how CRISPR-Cas9 can be programmed to cut specific DNA sequences, launching modern genome editing from a bacterial immune mechanism.

Why It Still Matters

Same as Doudna: a microbial defense system became a universal genetic tool — and a reminder that basic bacteriology yields transformative technology.

Active Recall

  1. CRISPR originally defended bacteria against what?
  2. Who shared the 2020 Chemistry Nobel for CRISPR-Cas9?