Nobel laureate Jennifer Doudna unveils AI-driven platform to design novel gene‑editing enzymes

Jennifer Doudna, the Nobel laureate who co‑invented CRISPR, announced a new AI‑powered platform for creating gene‑editing proteins in a paper published today in Science. The system uses computational design to generate enzymes that do not exist in nature.

The team demonstrated the approach by engineering a previously unknown TnpB nuclease, a small RNA‑guided protein thought to be an evolutionary ancestor of CRISPR‑Cas systems. Unlike traditional methods that repurpose natural enzymes, this platform can craft entirely synthetic nucleases.

Doudna said the technology could allow scientists to design enzymes on demand for specific challenges, such as treating genetic diseases or helping crops adapt to climate change. The work highlights the growing intersection of artificial intelligence and molecular biology.