Philippe Horvath Inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame®

IFF Fellow Philippe Horvath is universally regarded as one of the key figures of the CRISPR revolution a groundbreaking exploration into gene editing that has the potential to eradicate diseases in humans and other organic organisms. Dr. Horvath made this transformational discovery unexpectedly as a young curious molecular biologist working on dairy cultures and it laid the groundwork for the next generation of biotechnology. Due to this revolutionary work in CRISPR-enhanced food products Dr. Horvath was recently named a 2023 inductee into the National Inventors Hall of Fame ® in Washington D.C.

The Beginning of a Discovery

In 2002 Dr. Horvath was working in the lab at Danisco (now part of IFF) in Dange Saint Romain France investigating how Streptococcus thermophilus a bacterial species commonly used to make yogurt and cheese defends itself against bacterial viruses or phages.  He discovered the immune function of CRISPR showing that it incorporates pieces of DNA from attacking viruses into the bacterial DNA a type of memory mechanism as CRISPR spacers protect against subsequent assault.

His hypothesis that CRISPR might act as a memory system that allows bacteria to recognize and destroy invading viruses was valid. Collaborating with then co-worker Rodolphe Barrangou and other academic researchers they worked to show that bacteria with CRISPR spacers matching a specific virus were resistant to that virus while bacteria without those spacers were susceptible. His research led to a 2007 seminal paper published in Science  that effectively summarized the work with dairy however no one could have predicted its far-reaching implications and importance beyond the initial discovery. His work ignited a revolution in biotechnology as scientists realized that CRISPR-Cas could be used to edit any DNA sequence with unprecedented precision and efficiency.

For decades prior to Horvath’s discovery CRISPR was an intriguing but unsolved curiosity in the scientific community. His research sparked a wave of scientific discovery that is being used today in addressing some of the most challenging medical dilemmas of our time.  It’s not every day that cheese research leads to what may be the greatest invention in a generation.

About Philippe Horvath

Dr. Horvath has spent his entire career working in industry chiefly as a molecular biologist and food scientist. With the CRISPR discovery he co-authored more than 40 peer-reviewed papers and holds more than 100 patents related to CRISPR-Cas4. He also received several other prestigious awards for his work including the Massry Prize in 2015 the Canada Gairdner International Award in 2016 and the Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science in 2018.

We’re excited to have our very own scientific hero in Dr. Horvath at IFF. He continues to push the boundaries of science to #DoMoreGood and help make the world a better place. A humble quiet man Dr. Horvath is a leader in his field of research and we are proud to call him ‘colleague!’

Congratulations to Dr. Horvath Dr. Barrangou and the fourteen other legendary inventors inducted into the 2023 class of National Inventors Hall of Fame. Your work is transforming our world.