Jennifer A. Doudna, a Nobel Prize-winning biochemist, will receive the 2026 Priestley Medal, the highest honor given out by the American Chemical Society (ACS), annually recognizing distinguished service to chemistry. Doudna is a biochemist at the College of Chemistry at UC Berkeley and is the founder of the Innovative Genomics Institute. She received the award for her discoveries on ribozyme function, the Dicer RNase enzyme, double-stranded RNA processing, and CRISPR gene editing, along with her impactful international science leadership, according to a press release by ACS. Doudna is the ninth College of Chemistry scientist to win the award.
In 2020, she and Emmanuelle Charpentier were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their discovery of CRISPR-Cas9, a groundbreaking gene-editing technology. This revolutionary tool allows scientists to make precise changes to DNA, essentially acting as “molecular scissors” that can target and alter specific genetic sequences. The discovery stemmed from Doudna's fundamental research into bacterial immune systems, where she found she could reprogram the Cas9 enzyme to cut DNA at desired locations by changing its guide RNA.
This technology has since transformed biology and medicine, enabling breakthroughs in molecular biology, genetics, and pharmaceutical science. It’s now used globally in labs and holds immense promise for treating genetic diseases, improving agriculture, and creating new therapies.
“One cannot overstate the scientific and societal impact of Jennifer Doudna’s accomplishments,” said Anne Baranger, Interim Dean for the College of Chemistry. “Time and again, she and her collaborators have achieved what many believed to be impossible. What’s more, she is committed to ensuring these discoveries have the broadest possible reach—through the founding of research institutes, the creation of numerous startup companies, and her ongoing engagement with global leaders to guide the responsible application of her technology.”
Doudna holds several prominent positions, including investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Gladstone Institutes. After earning her undergraduate degree from Pomona College and a Ph.D. from Harvard Medical School, she went on to co-found several companies, including Caribou Biosciences, Scribe Therapeutics, Intellia Therapeutics, and Editas Medicine.
She will formally accept the Priestley Medal and deliver an address at the ACS Spring 2026 meeting. The award includes a $20,000 research grant and travel expenses. Doudna has stated that she plans to use the opportunity to discuss her research on RNA’s role in the origins of life.
“We’re incredibly proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition from the American Chemical Society,” said Baranger.