Noble Prize Chemistry:2024

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to David Baker, Demis Hassabis, and John Jumper. Baker was recognized for his work on designing new proteins, while Hassabis and Jumper were honored for creating technology to predict protein structures.

Why are proteins important?

Proteins are crucial for life. They are made from 20 different amino acids and serve many roles, such as providing structural support in muscles and skin, helping cells communicate, and aiding in biochemical reactions.

What is the protein-folding problem?

A protein’s function depends on its 3D structure, which is determined by the arrangement of its amino acids. Scientists have spent years trying to understand how proteins take on their final shapes. By the 2010s, scientists had identified the structures of many proteins, but the process was slow and difficult.

What is AlphaFold?

AlphaFold is a deep-learning model created by Hassabis’s company, DeepMind. It can predict the 3D structures of proteins, a task that used to take scientists months or years. AlphaFold2, released in 2020, could predict protein structures almost as accurately as older methods like X-ray crystallography. In 2024, AlphaFold3 was introduced, which can also predict how proteins interact with other molecules.

How does AlphaFold impact research?

AlphaFold has revolutionized how scientists study proteins. While it predicts protein structures quickly, it can’t yet explain why proteins fold in certain ways. Researchers still need to interpret the results.

What is protein design?

David Baker developed tools for designing new proteins with specific functions. In 2003, his team created a novel protein using a program called ‘Rosetta,’ which was later used to design proteins with various applications. For instance, in 2022, Baker’s team developed an antiviral nasal spray for COVID-19 using proteins they designed to target the virus’s spike protein.

This Nobel Prize highlights the huge advances in protein research, from understanding their structure to designing new ones for medical applications.