Major Virology Award for CRISPR Pioneer John van der Oost

Professor John van der Oost is one of the pioneers of the CRISPR-Cas technique, a molecular precision tool that allows scientists to modify DNA in living cells with great accuracy. This technology helps researchers to make crops more resistant to diseases, combat viruses, and even delete hereditary diseases from a person’s DNA. Last year, the European Union approved the use of CRISPR-Cas for treating the inherited blood disorders sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia. According to the KNAW, Van der Oost has made a unique contribution to science: “He laid the foundation for an entirely new field of research, far beyond the boundaries of virology.”

Reprogramming an immune system

Van der Oost is thrilled to receive the award. “It is of course a great feeling to be recognised in this way,” he says. “It proves that we’ve been on the right track all these years.” However, he emphasises that the honour is not his alone: “I may be receiving the prize, but it is a recognition of the entire research team – both current and former scientists. Together, we have made important discoveries.”

In 2008, his research group published a groundbreaking paper in Science, describing how bacteria use a kind of immune system to protect themselves against viruses: the CRISPR-Cas system. This system recognises the genetic material of invading viruses and neutralises them by cutting their DNA. Van der Oost also demonstrated that this system could be converted into a tool that cuts genetic material at any desired location in the DNA, and that this is in principle possible in any organism.

Tackling hunger and disease

With CRISPR technology, Van der Oost wants to help solve major global problems; from viral diseases to hunger. To this end, he has made licences for five CRISPR patents available to NGOs free of charge, allowing them to use the technology for food security and crop improvement. Additionally, he is working to adapt ‘his’ variant of the CRISPR-Cas enzyme so it can be used to combat hereditary blood disorders. “Existing CRISPR enzymes can already do this, but each enzyme functions slightly differently, and having more options gives us greater flexibility in treating genetic diseases,” he explains. Furthermore, CRISPR-based medical treatments for conditions like sickle cell disease currently cost at least €2 million. “We hope to reduce that price considerably,” Van der Oost adds.

In addition to his research, Van der Oost is committed to training and inspiring the next generation of scientists. He has supervised many successful PhD candidates and together with fellow microbiologists he wrote the book Microcanon, in which they explain key concepts of microbiology and microorganisms in an accessible way. “We distributed those books to secondary schools,” he says. “We hope to make secondary school students enthusiastic about a future in microbiology.”

Prize money for further research

As laureate, Van der Oost will receive a medal and a prize of €35,000. Although Van der Oost is set to retire this summer, he intends to continue supervising ongoing projects in the coming years. He plans to use the prize money to support this work. “Sometimes equipment breaks down unexpectedly, or we need to purchase new equipment for the research,” says the professor. “It is great to have the means to help keep the research going.”

About the M.W. Beijerinck Virology Prize

The M.W. Beijerinck Virology Prize is awarded every two years by KNAW to scientists who have made groundbreaking contributions to virology. The prize was established in 1965 in memory of virologist M.W. Beijerinck (1851–1931).