Jennifer Doudna, Nobelist, to Receive Alma Dea Morani Award
The Women in Medicine Legacy Foundation honors genetics pioneer
Jennifer A. Doudna, PhD, who earned the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her groundbreaking development of genome-engineering technology, is the 2021 recipient of the Alma Dea Morani Renaissance Woman Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Women in Medicine Legacy Foundation.
A biochemist, Dr. Doudna is founder and president of the Innovative Genomics Institute, a research group dedicated to using genome engineering to treat human diseases and end hunger. Working with collaborator and co-Nobelist Emmanuelle Charpentier, Dr. Doudna developed CRISPR-Cas9, technology that allows scientists to change the DNA of plants, animals, and humans with unprecedented precision. Tailoring the code of life using CRISPR’s molecular scissors is already revolutionizing the treatment of diseases previously believed to be incurable.
“As a scientist, Dr. Doudna’s work represents a giant step forward in improving the human condition for people around the world,” says Julia Haller, MD, president of the Foundation. “Her breakthrough gives physicians the tools to treat cancers and other illnesses. Farmers will be better able to feed hungry people, contributing to a healthier planet.”
Dr. Doudna and Dr. Charpentier are the first women to win a Nobel Prize in the sciences together, sending a clear message, Doudna said, that “women rock.”
In an interview with the Berkeley News, Dr. Doudna said she could not “in a million years, have ever imagined this moment” as a curious young girl growing up in Hawaii. Dr. Doudna is chair and a professor in Chemistry and Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, home to the Innovative Genomics Institute.
“Many women think that, no matter what they do, their work will never be recognized the way it would be if they were a man,” she said. “And I think (this prize) refutes that. It makes a strong statement that women can do science, women can do chemistry, and that great science is recognized and honored.”
The Alma Dea Morani Award recognizes an outstanding contemporary pioneer in medicine or science who has demonstrated professional excellence and a thirst for knowledge and service beyond her medical practice or scientific endeavors. Dr. Doudna will receive the 22nd award.
She will accept her award at a virtual event hosted by the New York Academy of Medicine on October 28, 2021. Register today.
If you would like to recognize Dr. Doudna, you can make a gift in her honor to The Foundation. Dr. Doudna will receive notification of all those who have donated. Or, if you would like to sponsor the event, please see our sponsorship options.
About The Women in Medicine Legacy Foundation
The Women in Medicine Legacy Foundation was founded with the strong belief that understanding our history plays a powerful role in shaping our future. The resolute stand women took to establish their place in these fields propels our vision forward. We serve as stewards to the stories from the past and take pride in sharing them with the women of today. Our mission is to preserve and promote the legacy of women in medicine and the medical sciences. Visit our website at www.wimlf.org to learn more.