Exemplary Invention: CRISPR-Cas9 Gene-Editing Technology

Key Patent: US 10,000,772 B2 (Bedrock of the Genomic Revolution)

In 2012, Dr. Doudna and her collaborator Emmanuelle Charpentier published a landmark study that effectively birthed a new era of science. By repurposing a natural defense mechanism used by bacteria to fight viruses, they developed a programmable system that can edit genomes with unprecedented precision, speed, and affordability.  In that same year, she filed a landmark patent application with a co-inventor that effectively gave birth to an entirely new field of science, allowing the "code of life" to be rewritten with surgical precision.

The Innovation

Dr. Doudna’s intellectual property represents the very best of human ingenuity. Behind her breakthrough stands the largest patent portfolio of all the 2025 Inventorium Awards honorees—a testament to the depth and durability of her scientific impact.

Key milestones of her pioneering work include:

• The "Molecular Scissors": Described in the foundational U.S. Patent No. 10,000,772, this programmable system allows scientists to edit genomes with unprecedented precision.

• Unprecedented Portfolio Scale: Her intellectual property includes approximately 590 global patent assets spanning the U.S., Europe, China, Japan, and beyond. This extraordinary body of work is organized across 130 distinct patent families, with roughly 230 granted patents worldwide.

• Programmable Genetic Architecture: Her IP establishes the methods for using optimized guide RNA to target specific DNA sequences, a discovery that serves as the bedrock for the entire modern genomic revolution.

• Cross-Domain Versatility: Her discoveries have reshaped modern biology, from engineering climate-resilient crops to creating "one-and-done" cures for previously intractable genetic diseases.

Impact

The influence of Dr. Doudna’s work will be felt for generations. Her leadership helped establish the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI), ensuring that the power of gene editing is used ethically and accessibly to solve humanity's greatest challenges. For her co-development of CRISPR-Cas9, she was awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. By giving humanity the ability to rewrite the code of life itself, Dr. Doudna has fundamentally changed the trajectory of medicine and science, offering new hope to patients and researchers across the globe.