New supercomputer named Doudna to advance AI research in Berkeley

In May 2025, a new supercomputer named Doudna was announced to be built at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, located in California, USA. This announcement was made by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, along with executives from Dell Technologies and Nvidia. The supercomputer, named after Jennifer Doudna, a Nobel Prize-winning Berkeley professor and biochemist known for her contributions to the gene-editing technology CRISPR, is set to be operational in the following year. Its primary function will be to enhance artificial intelligence technology and aid in scientific discoveries, particularly in the field of genomics research. The Doudna supercomputer will be a milestone achievement, as it follows a tradition of naming supercomputers after Nobel laureates at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center. Other notable supercomputers previously housed at this facility include those named after Saul Perlmutter, an astrophysicist, and Gerty Cori, a biochemist, indicating a consistent recognition of groundbreaking scientists and their contributions. Built by Dell under a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy, the Doudna supercomputer aims to rank among the world’s fastest supercomputers, though it is currently unclear how it will compare on the TOP500 list, which ranks these supercomputers based on performance. The fastest supercomputer currently is El Capitan, situated at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, which demonstrates the competitive landscape of supercomputing in the United States. As the demand for enhanced computing power grows, the development of the Doudna supercomputer reflects an increasing interest in leveraging advanced technology to support critical research initiatives. Especially in genomics, the Doudna system will facilitate important research that can lead to significant advancements in medicine, agriculture, and various scientific fields. This endeavor is a notable fusion of technology and groundbreaking science, promising to unlock new insights and efficiencies in research processes.