The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC), in partnership with the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), honored Jay Keasling, senior faculty scientist in the Biological Systems and Engineering Division (BSE) and CEO of the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), with the 2025 OTC/NAI Innovator of the Year Award. The honor is awarded each year to one person chosen from all employees of the Department of Energy, its 17 national laboratories, and other DOE sites, who has translated research into tangible impacts that have benefited society at large.
Keasling accepted the award June 24 at the annual meeting of the NAI in Atlanta, GA.
One of the foremost authorities on synthetic biology, Keasling, who is a scientist in Berkeley Lab’s Biosciences Area, leads a groundbreaking research program focused on engineering microorganisms to produce advanced biofuels and chemicals. He is also a prolific inventor and active entrepreneur. He holds a total of 75 issued patents; 43 of his patents and patent applications are based on DOE-funded research.
