Becoming a Scientific Leader
Jennifer Doudna, PhD, shares her career journey as a woman and leader in medicine
“Women don't go into science.”
That's what a high school guidance counselor told Dr. Jennifer Doudna as she considered her future. Fortunately, it's not the kind of thing that stops her. “When someone tells me I can’t do something and I know that I can, it just makes me more resolved to do it,” said Doudna, now a Nobelist and a leader in genome-engineering technology.
How did a young Doudna know that she could be a scientist, no matter what anyone told her? The example of other women in science. “I was deeply influenced by reading The Double Helix, a book that would not have existed without the work of Rosalind Franklin, but I didn't fully appreciate her role until later,” she said.
A real-life experience also inspired Doudna. “The most memorably inspiring woman scientist in my childhood was a researcher from the University of Hawaii whom I saw give a talk when I was in high school,” she said. “That was the moment I learned the term 'biochemistry' and realized that science was a possible career for women. It hadn't seemed like a real option for me before then.”
This example was formative. “She was so impressive, even if I couldn't understand everything she was talking about at the time, and I remember thinking right then that I wanted to do what she was doing. Sometimes you need to see that something is possible to really believe you can do it yourself.”
The First Women to Share a Nobel in the Sciences
Doudna went on to a career in science, most famously marked by winning the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her work—along with Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier—developing CRISPR-Cas9, the “molecular scissors” that allow scientists to alter DNA with great precision. Drs. Doudna and Charpentier are the first women to share a Nobel in the sciences.
The journey was not without challenges, but a supportive community made all the difference. “If you surround yourself with people who support you, who inspire you, who lend a hand when you need it, you can find your way through any challenge,” said Dr. Doudna.
She credits the power of collaboration and creativity in her research. “Everyone comes to science with different life experiences, different points of view based on who they are and where they are from,” she said.
“Emmanuelle and I share some experiences, as all women in science inevitably do, but we also came to the collaboration with our own unique skills and approaches. One thing we both share is a commitment to building great teams and empowering our teams to think creatively and explore interesting new angles, even if they seem unconventional. It’s important to note that while Emmanuelle and I were recognized by the Nobel Prize, the research was the result of a collaboration between multiple talented scientists in both of our labs.”
Dr. Doudna’s Legacy
Dr. Doudna is mindful of her work's impact and potential legacy. “I have so much optimism about what CRISPR can do to help cure unaddressed genetic diseases and improve sustainable agriculture, but I’m also concerned that the benefits of the technology might not reach those who need it most if we’re not thoughtful and deliberate about how we develop the technology,” she said. “Genome editing is here, and the technology is moving rapidly. So, my hope is that the global scientific community can work together to ensure that the benefits are shared equitably.”
To the young women and girls who may now be where she once was, interested in science and considering future careers, she advises, “Follow your interests and always know that you deserve a seat at the table, no matter what anyone else says.” The current generation of emerging women scientists have a great example to follow in Dr. Doudna and her success.
Jennifer Doudna, PhD, is the 2021 recipient of the Alma Dea Morani Award. She’ll deliver remarks titled, “CRISPR: Rewriting DNA and the Future of Humanity,” on October 28, 2021, during a virtual event hosted by the New York Academy of Medicine. Learn more and register today.
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