Francis Mojica

Francis Mojica is a Professor in the Department of Physiology, Genetics and Microbiology at the University of Alicante. He is renowned as the discoverer of the CRISPR-Cas genome editing technique, a revolutionary tool in biology, agriculture, and medicine. Mojica’s work elucidated CRISPR sequences’ role as a bacterial immune system against viruses, leading to applications in gene editing, disease research, and diagnostic methods.

His research interests focus on microbial genetics, molecular biology, and the development of CRISPR-based technologies. The CRISPR system’s adaptability has enabled global research advancements, including editing organisms to address food security and combat diseases.

In 2018, Mojica was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the UIMP, recognizing his transformative contributions. He emphasized science’s societal impact, critiquing restrictive regulations on CRISPR-modified organisms, and highlighted CRISPR’s potential to address global challenges like hunger and infectious diseases.