The acronym CRISPR, which stands for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, traditionally represents a medical marvel — molecular scissors capable of curing rare genetic diseases and rewriting human health. But as climate change accelerates faster than natural evolution can keep pace, the most urgent race for this technology is shifting from hospitals to the soil.
Jennifer Doudna, the 2020 Nobel laureate who co-discovered the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing tool, challenged the popular narrative during a discussion on Oct. 28 at UC San Diego’s Theatre District Conference Center. While the medical applications of gene editing remain extraordinary, Doudna made it clear that her current mission extends beyond the clinic.
At the Innovative Genomics Institute — a collaboration between UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UCSD and UC San Francisco aimed at using genetic engineering to solve humanity’s problems — Doudna specializes in two fields: healthcare and Earth’s planetary health. In healthcare, this means tackling everything from Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments for sickle cell disease to bespoke therapies for rare metabolic disorders. On the planetary health side, the focus shifts to combating climate change by engineering drought-resistant crops, optimizing soil microbiomes to capture carbon and reducing agricultural emissions.
To bring this vision to life, Doudna is directly targeting agricultural systems. Traditional crop breeding takes decades — far too slow to keep pace with accelerating climate change. Instead of introducing foreign DNA to create traditional genetically modified organisms, CRISPR allows scientists to precisely tweak a plant’s existing genetic code. Highlighting the global, democratic nature of this effort, Doudna pointed to her upcoming trip to Colombia, funded by the Gates Foundation, where she will work with a local team to use CRISPR in beans.
However, before scientists can make a precise cut in a plant’s DNA, they need a map. Finding the exact genes that control complex traits like drought resistance means sorting through massive amounts of data using artificial intelligence and advanced computer models. It is a computer science problem just as much as it is a biological one.
This intersection of data science and biology is where UCSD is uniquely positioned to lead. Doudna specifically highlighted the university’s robust research capabilities and proximity to the ocean as a massive untapped resource.
“UCSD is one of the world’s great research institutions,” Doudna said during the discussion. “You attract some of the very best students and faculty from all over. And in addition to that, I think that some of the research going on here is quite unique. You have access to the oceanographic institute. You have access to some of the kinds of resources that are found in this particular part of America that are unique.”
Whether exploring ocean-based environmental solutions or editing crops, wielding this kind of technological power carries heavy ethical weight. When asked by a student about balancing technical problem-solving with ethical risks, Doudna emphasized that ethics cannot be an afterthought.
“I think you have to be weaving it into your work from the get-go,” Doudna said. “I think you have to be cognizant of how your work would have impacts both pro and con and be actively engaging in those discussions.” Doudna went on to say, “But it does take some courage, and it also takes teamwork. I think it’s important to remember that science doesn’t occur in a vacuum, right? It’s occurring as part of a whole global effort.”
Throughout the discussion, Doudna emphasized that biology is becoming a tool for active engineering, urging students to apply their skills toward pressing global challenges.
“I think the major takeaway for me is how much the field of science is dependent on mentorship and community,” Samantha Major, discussion attendee and a fourth-year general biology major, said in an interview with The UCSD Guardian. “It’s like one discovery is not the discovery of one person.”
Beyond the science, Doudna’s trailblazing presence in a historically male-dominated field left a lasting mark on the attendees.
“I feel really empowered,” Maddie Tourtlotte, a graduate student studying bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, said in an interview with The Guardian. “It’s really amazing to see a woman Nobel laureate still pursuing a career and asking more questions.”
As crowds left the conference center, some attendees shared a sentiment of eagerness to build upon those achievements.
“I’m just, like, walking away feeling inspired,” Jackie Lanzalotto, a Ph.D. student, said in an interview with The Guardian. “I’m excited to get back to lab and to, you know, continue doing my curiosity-driven research.”