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Professor Blackburn discovered how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase. This is crucial for biological organisms as it prevents DNA degradation and cellular aging. Professor Blackburn completed a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science at the University of Melbourne and went on to further study and research in the UK and the US, and currently works at the University of California San Francisco. In 2025 she was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Melbourne.

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