Cornell Cinema to screen new doc on Nobel laureate Phil Sharp Oct. 27

October 15, 2025 / By Stephen D'Angelo read on news.cornell.edu

A new documentary chronicling the life and scientific legacy of Nobel Laureate Phil Sharp will be screened at Cornell Cinema on Monday, Oct. 27, at 6 p.m. in Willard Straight Hall. Sponsored by the Cornell Institute of Biotechnology, the showing is free and open to the public.

Cracking the Code: Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution traces how Sharp’s 1977 discovery of RNA splicing transformed molecular biology and helped ignite the biotechnology revolution. Narrated by actor Mark Ruffalo and directed by Bill Haney, the film combines archival footage, interviews, and personal storytelling to illuminate Sharp’s journey from rural Kentucky to the forefront of biomedical research.

The documentary examines the scientific and social ripple effects of Sharp’s work, including how the understanding of gene expression opened new frontiers in medicine and biotechnology. Commentator Walter Isaacson and several of Sharp’s colleagues reflect on the persistence, creativity, and collaboration that defined his career.

“Sharp’s story is as much about curiosity and determination as it is about science,” said Matthew DeLisa, the William L. Lewis Professor of Engineering in the Robert F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and former director of the Cornell Institute of Biotechnology who led the effort to bring Cracking the Code to the Ithaca campus. “It is well-aligned with the mission of our institute, and we’re excited to make it available to the entire Cornell community. 

The film is shown courtesy of Uncommon Productions as part of Cornell Cinema’s Campus Collaborations series, which highlights films tied to ongoing research and scholarship across the university.

Showing details at a glance:

• When: Monday, Oct. 27, 6 p.m.

• Where: Cornell Cinema, 104 Willard Straight Hall

• Admission: Free (sponsored by the Cornell Institute of Biotechnology)

• Runtime: 97 minutes

  
  

For more information or to reserve free tickets, visit cinema.cornell.edu.