Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2024 shared by David Baker, Demis Hassabis, John M Jumper for work on protein

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry honors breakthroughs that are revolutionizing our understanding of proteins, which are fundamental to biological processes. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the prestigious prize to three scientists: one half to David Baker for his pioneering work in computational protein design and the other half jointly to Demis Hassabis and John M. Jumper for their groundbreaking contributions to protein structure prediction.

David Baker's research focuses on designing new proteins that do not exist in nature. His computational models allow scientists to create proteins with specific functions, unlocking potential advancements in medicine, biotechnology, and synthetic biology. On the other hand, Demis Hassabis and John M. Jumper, co-creators of the AlphaFold project, have made significant strides in predicting how proteins fold into their three-dimensional shapes. This achievement has solved one of biology’s grand challenges, providing a tool that can potentially accelerate drug discovery and enhance our understanding of diseases.

This year's award adds to a legacy of scientific breakthroughs recognized by the Nobel Prize. In 2023, Moungi G. Bawendi, Louis E. Brus, and Alexei I. Ekimov were honored for their work on quantum dots, tiny particles with vast implications for electronics and medical imaging.

With a cash prize of 10 million Swedish kronor (approximately $900,000), the Nobel Prize, established by Alfred Nobel, continues to celebrate achievements that have the "greatest benefit to humankind." The Chemistry laureates will receive their awards in a ceremony on December 10, alongside the winners of other categories including Physics, Medicine, Literature, Peace, and Economic Sciences.