David Baker to receive 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

STOCKHOLM: David Baker, a distinguished professor of biochemistry at the University of Washington School of Medicine and director of the UW Medicine Institute for Protein Design, will be honored with the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The prestigious award ceremony will take place on December 10 at the Stockholm Concert Hall in Sweden as part of Nobel Prize Week, which runs from December 6 to 12.Baker, a Seattle native born in 1962 and a graduate of the city’s public schools, will receive the award alongside fellow laureates Demis Hassabis and John Jumper. The trio is being recognized for groundbreaking work in computational protein design. Baker's lab pioneered computer-based methods to design proteins from scratch, paving the way for innovative solutions in medicine, biotechnology, and environmental science.
Impact of Baker’s research
The Nobel citation celebrates Baker’s contributions “for computational protein design.” His team achieved a significant milestone in 2003 when they successfully designed a protein not found in nature. This innovation has since enabled the creation of vaccines, biosensors, and sustainable materials, along with advancements in energy solutions and environmental remediation.
For those interested in diving deeper into the science, resources such as the Nobel Prize One-Minute Crash Course on Proteins and Their Structures and the 2024 Nobel Prize Popular Science Backgrounder are available.
Livestream schedule for Nobel Week events
Several Nobel Week events will be streamed online, providing a unique opportunity to witness history in the making.
·       Sunday, Dec. 8: Nobel Prize Acceptance Lectures in Chemistry
???? 4:50–6:40 a.m. EST (1:50–3:40 a.m. PST)
Nobel laureates, including Baker, will deliver lectures on their pioneering work.
YouTube Link for the Lectures
·       Monday, Dec. 9: Nobel Week Dialogue: The Future of Health
        4:00–9:30 a.m. EST (1:00–3:30 a.m. PST)
·       Tuesday, Dec. 10: Award Ceremony
        10:00 a.m. EST (7:00 a.m. PST)
Baker will receive his Nobel medal and diploma from Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf.
YouTube Link for the Ceremony
·       Saturday, Dec. 14: Nobel Minds Roundtable Discussion
        5:30 a.m. GMT (with repeat broadcasts)
Nobel laureates will engage in a discussion moderated by BBC presenter Zeinab Badawi. The program is co-produced by Swedish Television and BBC World News.
BBC Webcast Link

Celebrations and traditions in Stockholm
Accompanied by his wife, Dr. Hannele Ruohola-Baker, a Finnish native and fellow biochemistry professor, Baker will also participate in traditional Nobel activities. These include presenting an artifact from his research to the Nobel Prize Museum and enjoying Stockholm’s illuminating light festival, inspired by laureates' discoveries.
The week’s festivities will culminate in the Nobel Prize Concert, featuring Swedish soprano Malin Byström and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Petr Popelka. A replay of the concert will be accessible on the Nobel Prize YouTube channel.
Educational resources and award details
The Nobel organization has developed educational tools, including a 45-minute lesson plan titled Secrets of Proteins, to help educators share insights into protein design and its significance.
Baker will receive a monetary prize of 5.5 million Swedish Kroner (approximately $500,000), a gold medal, and a custom-designed diploma. His name will be engraved on the medal's reverse side, which features a depiction of Alfred Nobel and an inscription adapted from Virgil’s Aeneid: “Inventas vitam iuvat excoluisse per artes” (“And they who bettered life by new-found mastery”).
Significance of the honor
David Baker’s innovative work exemplifies the transformative power of science in addressing global challenges. His contributions not only redefine our understanding of protein design but also create practical solutions with far-reaching benefits.