Millennium Prize for “Directed Evolution”
June 7, 2016 | Terry Sharrer
In directed evolution, bioengineers subject a gene to repeated mutagenesis in order to create an array of variants that then result in a protein assortment. These proteins then can be further tested as drug candidates, or the DNA library for gene therapy. For pioneering work in this field, the Technology Academy of Finland awarded Cal Tech chemical engineering professor Frances Arnold its $1.2m Millennium Technology Prize last month. She is the first woman to win the prestigious award. MORE
Image Credit: Heikki Saukkomaa/Lehtikuva via AP