2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry Awarded
Winners: David Baker, Demis Hassabis, and John M. Jumper
The 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to David Baker, Demis Hassabis, and John M. Jumper, as announced by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. The prize is split into two parts: one half goes to David Baker for his work on computational protein design, and the other half is shared by Demis Hassabis and John M. Jumper for their advancements in protein structure prediction.
David Baker’s Contribution
David Baker has been recognized for creating new types of proteins using computational methods. His work has led to the development of proteins that can be used in pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and as tiny sensors.
Demis Hassabis and John M. Jumper’s Contribution
Demis Hassabis and John M. Jumper developed AlphaFold2, an AI model that predicts protein structures, solving a long-standing scientific challenge. This model has been used globally to aid in research, including studies on antibiotic resistance and enzyme functions.
Significance of the Discoveries
These discoveries have opened new possibilities in understanding and utilizing proteins, which are essential for life as they drive chemical reactions and serve as hormones and antibodies. The Nobel Prize includes a monetary award of 11 million Swedish kronor, divided between the laureates.
Doubts Revealed
Nobel Prize -: The Nobel Prize is a set of prestigious international awards given annually in several categories like Peace, Literature, and Sciences, to people who have made significant contributions to humanity.
Chemistry -: Chemistry is a branch of science that studies substances, their properties, and how they interact, combine, and change to form new substances.
David Baker -: David Baker is a scientist known for his work in designing new proteins using computers, which can be used in medicine and other fields.
Demis Hassabis -: Demis Hassabis is a scientist and entrepreneur who co-founded DeepMind, a company that creates artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.
John M. Jumper -: John M. Jumper is a scientist who worked on developing AlphaFold2, an AI model that helps predict how proteins fold, which is important for understanding how they work.
AlphaFold2 -: AlphaFold2 is a computer program created by DeepMind that uses AI to predict the 3D shapes of proteins, which is important for understanding how they function in the body.
Protein structures -: Protein structures refer to the 3D shapes that proteins take, which determine how they work in the body. Understanding these shapes helps scientists learn more about how life functions.
Swedish kronor -: Swedish kronor is the currency used in Sweden. The Nobel Prize money is given in this currency.
