Roundup: Biochemist specializing in "directed evolution" wins 2016 Millennium Technology Prize

American biochemist Frances Arnold, a pioneer in the field of "directed evolution", was awarded the seventh Millennium Technology Prize in Helsinki on Tuesday.

Arnold's method generates random mutations in DNA in the way it happens in nature. The modified genes produce proteins with new properties, from which the researcher can choose the useful ones, repeating the process until the level of performance needed by industry is achieved.

At the ceremony, Arnold stressed the importance of respecting the choice of nature.

"I find it hard to believe humans will do a much better job than nature. Because when you look at the code of life, that was not composed by human but composed by 4 million years of evolution," she told local media.

"We are just learning how to hold a pencil when it comes to writing like that. That's really the challenge that somebody who wants to rewrite a geno to solve a problem faces."

The "directed evolution" technology uses the power of biology and evolution to solve many important problems. It often replaces less efficient and sometimes harmful technologies, according to Technology Academy Finland (TAF).

Talking to Finnish media, Arnold said the prize was recognition for the importance of sustainability, the importance of using biology to solve problems.

"Imagine replacing the chemicals industry with biological process in water, very few waste products, recycling everything. To me, that's a dream that is starting to come true," she elaborated.

Arnold referred to the fact that modified proteins can be used to replace processes that are expensive or that utilize fossil raw materials in the production of fuels, paper products, pharmaceuticals, textiles and agricultural chemicals.

Currently, Arnold's innovation has been widely used to create enzyme catalysts to manufacture medicine. The method has already resulted in more efficient processes for producing numerous drugs, including a treatment for type 2 diabetes.

Born in 1956 in the United States, Arnold is Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering and Biochemistry at Donna and Benjamin M. Rosen Bioengineering Center of California Institute of Technology.

During 2011 to 2015, she won quite a few international awards for her outstanding work in biochemistry. She is also the first woman to be elected to all three U.S. National Academies, namely the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine.

The Millennium Technology Prize was set by the Finnish government in 2002 to honor individuals and groups which have made significant contributions in the fields of science and technology, aiming to particularly highlight innovations that assist and enrich people's everyday lives.

The prize is awarded by TAF, an independent foundation established by Finnish industries in cooperation with the State of Finland. The award, worth one million euros, was first conferred in 2004. The prize is presented every other year.

Among the previous six winners were World Wide Web creator Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of bright blue and white LEDs Shuji Nakamura and ethical stem cell pioneer Shinya Yamanaka.

Arnold is the first woman to win the award. TAF described her as "a strong role model for women working in technology". Endit