[ti:Scientists Win Nobel in Chemistry for Predicting, Designing Proteins]
[al:Science & Technology]
[ar:VOA]
[dt:2024-10-10]
[by:www.voase.cn]
[00:00.00]Three scientists who developed methods to predict the structure of proteins and build new ones have won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
[00:12.77]The winners were American David Baker, a professor at the University of Washington; Briton Demis Hassabis, head of Google's DeepMind research laboratory in London; and American John Jumper, a top researcher at DeepMind. 
[00:34.77]The lab centers on artificial intelligence (AI) methods.
[00:41.46]Protein is one of the most important substances to life on Earth.
[00:47.62]Baker succeeded in building new kinds of proteins. 
[00:52.61]Hassabis and Jumper solved a problem that had existed for 50 years. 
[01:00.14]They were finally able to use AI to predict the structure of proteins.
[01:08.16]The Nobel Committee for Chemistry said the discoveries "hold enormous potential."
[01:16.95]For example, committee members said the ability to build new proteins could lead to the discovery of new drugs and vaccines.
[01:29.64]It could also help scientists develop extremely small materials, called nanomaterials, and small sensors.
[01:42.66]Heiner Linke is Chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry.
[01:49.30]He said the award honored research that made connections for the first time between amino acid sequences and protein structures.
[02:02.79]"That was actually a grand challenge in chemistry, and in particular biochemistry" for many years, Linke said.
[02:15.55]Baker first designed a new protein in 2003. 
[02:21.58]Since then, his research group has produced many different proteins.
[02:27.69]"It seems that you can almost construct any type of protein now with this technology," said Professor Johan Aqvist of the Nobel committee.
[02:41.76]The committee said Hassabis and Jumper created an AI model called AlphaFold2.
[02:51.79]It has been able to predict the structure of nearly all 200 million proteins researchers have identified.
[03:02.46]Linke said, "Proteins are the molecules that enable life. Proteins are building blocks that form bones, skin, hair and tissue."
[03:16.53]He added, "To understand how life works, we first need to understand the shape of proteins."
[03:26.90]Linke said that in 2020, Hassabis and Jumper were able to use AI methods to finally "crack the code."
[03:39.57]That made it possible to predict the complex structure of "any known protein in nature."
[03:47.96]There are many possible uses for the technology.
[03:53.03]Researchers should be able to use it to better understand how organisms develop resistance to antibiotics.
[04:04.49]They might also be able to create images of chemical substances called enzymes that can break down plastic.
[04:15.48]The committee said Baker had developed "computational tools" that enable scientists to design new proteins with new shapes and functions.
[04:29.65]Baker noted that Hassabis and Jumper's work in AI had greatly helped his team.
[04:38.99]"The breakthroughs made by Demis and John on protein structure prediction really highlighted to us the power that AI could have," he said.
[04:52.84]"And that led us to apply these AI methods to protein design and that has greatly increased the power and accuracy."
[05:05.08]Baker was asked during a phone call with Nobel officials and reporters if he had a favorite protein.
[05:15.32]He said it would be difficult to choose.
[05:19.13]But he noted that one designed during the pandemic proved to be effective in protecting against the coronavirus.
[05:29.68]"And I've been very excited about the idea of a nasal spray, of little designed proteins, that would protect against all possible pandemic viruses." Baker said.
[05:45.55]Hassabis is a leader in Britain's technology industry.
[05:51.43]He received a knighthood earlier this year for his work in AI.
[05:58.52]He helped establish DeepMind in 2010. Google later bought the lab.
[06:06.94]DeepMind first gained wide attention by developing an AI system that was able to defeat the human world champion in the Chinese game of Go faster than expected.
[06:23.90]This year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry is worth about $1 million. 
[06:31.41]Half of the prize will go to Baker. Hassabis and Jumper will share the other half.
[06:40.32]Award ceremonies for the 2024 Nobel Prize winners will be held on December 10.
[06:50.92]I'm Mario Ritter, Jr.