Gene targeting, a pervasive technology that allows scientists to isolate, modify and recombine mouse DNA, got its name in lights this morning when its three creators won the 2007 Nobel Prize in medicine.

Mario R. Capecchi, Martin J. Evans and Oliver Smithies revolutionized the power to "knock out" individual genes, which has allowed pathologists to better understand diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and cystic fibrosis for close to 20 years.

By isolating embryonic stem cells, Evans discovered how to introduce DNA changes into mothers and create genetically modified mouse offspring.

Capecchi and Smithies, in turn, figured out how to combine certain molecules and target specific genes for "knockout mice."

To date, over 10,000 mouse genes have been isolated; that's roughly half the entire genome of the species, with the rest targeted for the very near future. Stay tuned to PopularMechanics.com to meet more Nobel Prize winners for 2007.

©Annika Rohl
How it works: gene targeting

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