Ben Black, PhD, the Eldridge Reeves Johnson Foundation Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics in Penn Medicine, was one the Winners in the Life Sciences category for Breakthrough of the Year Award from Falling Walls, a Berlin-based organization connecting science, business, and society globally. Black’s research focuses on developing synthetic human chromosomes to advance medicine, biotechnology, and climate-saving agricultural innovations. His team overcame major challenges in chromosome engineering, improving the delivery of large genetic sets and avoiding issues with DNA over-copying. These synthetic chromosomes open new possibilities for gene therapy, creating humanized animal models and engineering climate-resilient crops. Penn has filed a patent application covering this exciting breakthrough and welcomes interest from potential development partners. Read more about Dr. Black’s work in this interview with Falling Walls here.