On May 29, 2025, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright announced the upcoming deployment of a new supercomputer named "Doudna" at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California. Scheduled to commence operations in 2026, Doudna is named in honor of Nobel Prize-winning biochemist Jennifer Doudna, renowned for her pioneering work on CRISPR gene-editing technology.

The Doudna supercomputer will be constructed by Dell Technologies and will incorporate Nvidia's latest "Vera Rubin" chips, enhancing its artificial intelligence and high-performance computing capabilities. Dell's liquid-cooled servers will house these advanced chips, ensuring optimal performance and energy efficiency.

Doudna is expected to support approximately 11,000 researchers across various scientific fields, including genomics, chemistry, physics, and biology. The supercomputer's advanced computational power will facilitate groundbreaking research, particularly in genomics, where it can process vast datasets to uncover insights into genetic diseases and potential therapies. Energy Secretary Wright emphasized that Doudna "will advance scientific discovery, from chemistry to physics to biology."

The tradition of naming supercomputers at Berkeley Lab after Nobel laureates continues with Doudna. Previous systems include those named after astrophysicist Saul Perlmutter and biochemist Gerty Cori. This practice honors individuals who have made significant contributions to science and serves as an inspiration for the research community.

Jennifer Doudna is a distinguished American biochemist who co-developed the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology, a breakthrough that has revolutionized genetics and molecular biology. Born on February 19, 1964, in Washington, D.C., she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry from Pomona College and her Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology from Harvard Medical School. In 2020, Doudna, along with Emmanuelle Charpentier, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their development of a method for genome editing.

The deployment of the Doudna supercomputer signifies a substantial investment in scientific infrastructure, highlighting the U.S. Department of Energy's commitment to maintaining technological leadership. By providing researchers with cutting-edge computational resources, Doudna is poised to accelerate scientific discoveries that can lead to medical advancements, environmental solutions, and a deeper understanding of complex biological systems.

The U.S. Department of Energy has a history of deploying advanced supercomputers to support scientific research. For instance, the "El Capitan" supercomputer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is currently among the world's fastest. The introduction of Doudna continues this legacy, ensuring that researchers have access to state-of-the-art tools necessary for cutting-edge science.

As the scientific community anticipates the operational commencement of Doudna in 2026, the supercomputer is expected to play a pivotal role in advancing research across multiple disciplines, fostering innovation, and maintaining the United States' position at the forefront of scientific discovery.