David Baker, a professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, has been awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his groundbreaking work in computational protein design. Baker shares the prize with Demis Hassabis and John M. Jumper of Google DeepMind, who were recognized for their work on protein structure prediction using the AI model AlphaFold2.
Baker’s research has been pivotal in designing entirely new kinds of proteins, a feat considered almost impossible until his breakthrough in 2003. His work involves using computational methods to design proteins that can serve various functions, including as pharmaceuticals, vaccines, nanomaterials, and tiny sensors. Baker is the director of the Institute for Protein Design at the University of Washington and has been instrumental in advancing the field of protein design through his innovative approaches.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the prize, highlighting the significant impact of Baker’s and the DeepMind team’s work. Demis Hassabis and John Jumper’s AlphaFold2 model has been able to predict the structure of virtually all identified proteins, a problem that had eluded scientists for over 50 years. This breakthrough has far-reaching implications, including better understanding antibiotic resistance and developing enzymes to decompose plastics.
In an interview following the announcement, Baker expressed his excitement and optimism about the potential applications of their work, particularly in health and medicine. He mentioned the development of smarter therapeutics and the approval of the first de novo design medicine, a vaccine designed by his colleague Neil King.
Baker’s journey into science began relatively late; he was initially a social studies and philosophy major before becoming fascinated with developmental biology. His work has been inspired by the progress made in the field, and he has emphasized the importance of collaboration and the exchange of ideas among researchers globally.
