CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing (Doudna and Charpentier, 2012)

CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing provides a programmable tool to cut DNA with precision, enabling cures for genetic diseases. In 2012, Doudna and Charpentier showed Cas9 could target any sequence using guide RNA. The FDA approved Casgevy in 2023 as the first CRISPR therapy for sickle cell disease, costing $2.2 million per patient. Clinical trials target cancer and HIV. This technology is 30% faster than the average gene-editing method from 2010, such as zinc finger nucleases. Doudna and Charpentier won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.