Walter Isaacson has always amazed me as an author and scholar. In each of his books, Isaacson tells amazing stories about people who have shaped and changed the world, from Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, to Steve Jobs. The Code Breaker tells an amazing story of a leap in science forged by Jennifer Doudna. The science is gene editing. However, it is more than gene editing as Isaacson puts it. It is the human race’s ability to continue evolving and solving problems. Isaacson points out we have gone from writing computer code to breaking the genetic code. This ability to break the genetic code is helping us find cures for sickle cell, cancer, blindness, and so much more. The science is called CRISPR. The discovery of this gene editing tool enabled us to obtain a vaccine for the deadly COVID-19 virus.
In this book, Isaacson looks into the life of Jennifer Doudna. From her early days of wondering why the leaves of a thorny vine called hilahila or “sleepy grass” would curl up when touched, to devouring The Double Helix by James Watson, Doudna always wondered about the mysteries of nature. Her fascination earned her the Noble Prize in Chemistry in 2020 for her co-discovery of CRISPR. Along the way, Isaacson unleashes the complexities of patents, competition, and finally corroboration in finding a vaccine for COVID. Also, along the way, people questioning how far man should go in altering the genetic code.
Isaacson conclusion is a testament to his own brilliance, as I will end with his ending quote. “to flummox these who would label gene editing as ‘unnatural’ and ‘playing god,’ let’s put it another way. Nature and nature’s God, in their infinite wisdom, have evolved a species that is able to modify its own genome, and that species happens to be ours.”
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