Phillip Sharp's discovery of RNA splicing was a paradigm-shifting event in molecular biology. His discovery that genes could exist in discontinuous segments overturned the then-current belief that genes were colinear with their functional products.

This finding had profound implications for understanding genetic diseases and the evolutionary process.

Sharp's continued contributions to the field of gene expression, biotechnology, and the molecular mechanisms of cancer have had lasting impacts on medical research and treatment approaches.

He was elected as member of the European Academy of Engineering in 1993.