Breakthrough achievement in protein structure prediction- 3 British and American scholars win Nobel Prize in Chemistry_2
On October 9, 2024, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to three remarkable researchers: David Baker, a professor of biochemistry at the University of Washington; John Jumper; and Demis Hassabis, both of whom are associated with Google DeepMind in the UK. Their pioneering research in protein design and structure has garnered them this esteemed honor.
David Baker received half of this year’s prize in recognition of his significant contributions to computational protein design. The other half was awarded to Jumper and Hassabis for their innovative work in protein structure prediction.
According to the official Nobel Prize website, between 1901 and 2023, the Chemistry Prize has been bestowed 115 times to a total of 194 individuals. Remarkably, British scientist Frederick Sanger and American chemist K. Barry Sharpless stand out as two of the few who have been honored twice, which brings the actual count of unique laureates to 192.
Among the current honorees, the oldest is John B. Goodenough, who received the prize in 2019 at the age of 97 for his groundbreaking research on lithium-ion batteries, essential for powering electric vehicles and paving the way for a fossil fuel-free society. In contrast, the youngest laureate on record was Frédéric Joliot, who won the award at just 35 years old in 1935 for his pioneering work in synthesizing new radioactive elements.
