2024 Chemistry Nobel to Hassabis, Jumper, and Baker for computational protein folding
In one sentence The Swedish Academy awards the 2024 Chemistry Nobel to David Baker (protein design) and to Demis Hassabis and John Jumper at DeepMind for AlphaFold — the first time an industry AI system co-stars in a scientific Nobel.
The day after giving the Physics Nobel to two neural-network pioneers, the Swedish Academy makes a parallel move in Chemistry.
Half the prize goes to David Baker, a University of Washington biochemist, for creating entirely new proteins on a computer — something nature hasn't done in 4 billion years.
The other half goes to Demis Hassabis and John Jumper at Google DeepMind for AlphaFold, the AI system that predicts how a protein folds. It's the first time a company-built AI system — not from a university — co-stars in a scientific Nobel.
Companies
Google DeepMind, University of Washington
Tools
AlphaFold, RoseTTAFold
Tags
Sources