The Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to three scientists for their groundbreaking discoveries in the field of advanced technology, particularly artificial intelligence, AI, in predicting protein structures and creating new ones.
The award was announced on Wednesday, recognising Demis Hassabis and John Jumper from Google DeepMind, alongside David Baker from the University of Washington.
Hassabis and Jumper were honoured for their use of artificial intelligence to predict the structure of millions of proteins, a significant breakthrough in scientific research.
Their work at Google DeepMind utilised the AlphaFold2 model, which successfully calculated the structure of all human proteins.
The committee also noted that the researchers predicted the structure of almost all the 200 million proteins identified in the mapping of Earth’s organisms.
David Baker, from the University of Washington, was recognised for his pioneering work in using computer software to invent a new protein, one that is unlike any other known to science.
Johan Aqvist, a member of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, emphasised the significance of the discoveries, stating, “In order to understand how proteins work, you need to know what they look like, and that’s what this year’s laureates have done.” He described the impact of their work as “truly huge.”
This year’s prize also marks the second time in the week that artificial intelligence has featured prominently, underscoring its increasing importance in scientific innovation and research.
The use of AI in predicting protein shapes holds immense potential for understanding biological processes in organisms, including viruses, bacteria, and humans.
The Nobel Committee highlighted that the artificial intelligence developed by the Google DeepMind team is capable of rapidly and reliably predicting the physical shape of proteins and enzymes, which are crucial to the functioning of all living organisms.
