Jennifer Doudna

Jennifer Doudna is an American biochemist whose research helped show that CRISPR-Cas9 could be programmed to edit DNA, making genome editing a practical technology.

Emmanuelle Charpentier: Emmanuelle Charpentier is a French microbiologist who co-developed CRISPR-Cas9 as a programmable genome-editing tool with Jennifer Doudna. Their collaboration demonstrated that CRISPR-Cas9 could be adapted to cut chosen DNA sequences.
CRISPR-Cas9: CRISPR-Cas9 is a genome-editing system that uses a guide RNA and Cas9 enzyme to cut targeted DNA. Doudna’s best-known contribution helped turn this bacterial defense machinery into a programmable editing tool.
RNA interference: RNA interference is gene silencing triggered by small RNA molecules that guide cellular machinery to target RNA. Doudna’s earlier interest in RNA helped frame questions about programmable molecular recognition.
Genome editing: Genome editing is the deliberate alteration of DNA at selected locations in an organism’s genome. Doudna’s work helped make targeted genome editing simpler and more accessible.
Feng Zhang: Feng Zhang is a molecular biologist who developed CRISPR-Cas9 methods for editing mammalian cells. His competing patent claims became central to disputes over CRISPR-Cas9 intellectual property.
Guide RNA: A guide RNA is an RNA molecule that directs a protein to a complementary nucleic-acid sequence. Its programmable sequence gives CRISPR-Cas9 its targeting ability.
Bacterial adaptive immunity: Bacterial adaptive immunity is a defense process in which microbes store fragments of genetic invaders and use them to recognize later infections. CRISPR-Cas9 originated as part of this microbial defense mechanism.
2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry: The 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry recognized Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna for developing a method of genome editing. The award recognized their contributions to CRISPR-Cas9 as a precise genetic tool.
Francisco Mojica: Francisco Mojica is a Spanish microbiologist whose research helped identify CRISPR sequences as part of bacterial immune systems. His foundational observations revealed the natural system Doudna later helped repurpose.
Cas9: Cas9 is a CRISPR-associated enzyme that cuts DNA at sites specified by guide RNA. Doudna’s structural and biochemical work helped explain this enzyme’s targeting and cleavage.

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CRISPR gene editingRelated: Her research with Emmanuelle Charpentier demonstrated programmable RNA-guided DNA cleavage.