Three Scholars from the U.S. and U.K. Win Nobel Prize in Chemistry for Breakthrough Research on Protein Structures
The 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was announced on the 9th, local time, with American biochemist David Baker, British scientists Demis Hassabis, and John M. Jumper jointly receiving the honor. The contribution of this year’s three Nobel laureates in Chemistry lies in their groundbreaking advancements in the field of protein structure prediction.
David Baker, a 62-year-old scientist from the University of Washington in the U.S., is hailed as a master of protein design. He conceptualized entirely new protein structures. According to the Nobel Chemistry Prize committee's statement, Baker created the first protein with a structure entirely different from any known existing proteins, accomplishing what was considered an almost impossible feat. This has had a significant impact on biomedical research, earning him half of the Chemistry Prize.
The other half of the prize was shared between Demis Hassabis and John Jumper, two scientists from Google’s AI company, DeepMind. They utilized artificial intelligence (AI) technology to predict complex protein structures based on amino acid sequences, solving a problem that had stumped scientists for 50 years. Additionally, this breakthrough allows researchers to gain deeper insights into antibiotic resistance and develop enzymes capable of breaking down plastics.
According to foreign media reports, the Nobel Chemistry Prize committee stated that proteins are essential components of life. The research by this year's laureates not only has immense potential but also opens up numerous possibilities.
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