John M. Jumper, BS'07, is one of three scientists awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences on Oct. 9. Jumper currently is a senior staff research scientist for DeepMind, a London-based company that made a huge leap forward in solving the protein folding problem using artificial intelligence. He is the second Vanderbilt alumnus to win a Nobel Prize, joining Muhammad Yunus, PhD'71, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.
"Dr. Jumper's work with AlphaFold2 represents an unprecedented step in the integration of artificial intelligence and the natural sciences. John and his colleagues have given us inspiring evidence of its limitless potential for advancing scientific discovery," Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. "His work stands as an example of what we as One Vanderbilt can achieve as an innovative, creative community, unwaveringly committed to collaboration in the pursuit of knowledge. On behalf of our entire community, I send my warm congratulations to John and his co-recipients, David Baker and Demis Hassabis."
Chemists have long dreamed of fully understanding and mastering the chemical tools of life-proteins. Jumper, along with fellow DeepMind researcher and Nobel awardee Demis Hassabis, has succeeded with the almost impossible feat of building entirely new kinds of proteins. They've developed an AI model to solve a decades-long problem: predicting proteins' complex structures. These discoveries hold enormous potential.
The diversity of life testifies to proteins' amazing capacity as chemical tools. They control and drive all the chemical reactions that together are the basis of life. Proteins also function as hormones, signal substances, antibodies and the building blocks of different tissues.
"One of the discoveries being recognized this year concerns the construction of spectacular proteins. The other is about fulfilling a 50-year-old dream: predicting protein structures from their amino acid sequences. Both of these discoveries open up vast possibilities," said Chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry Heiner Linke.
Proteins generally consist of 20 different amino acids, which can be described as life's building blocks. In 2003, David Baker-the third 2024 Nobel Prize in chemistry awardee-succeeded in using these blocks to design a new protein that was unlike any other protein. Since then, his research group has produced one imaginative protein creation after another, including proteins that can be used as pharmaceuticals, vaccines, nanomaterials and tiny sensors.
The second discovery concerns the prediction of protein structures. In proteins, amino acids are linked together in long strings that fold up to make a three-dimensional structure, which is decisive for the protein's function. Since the 1970s, researchers had tried to predict protein structures from amino acid sequences, but this was notoriously difficult. However, four years ago, there was a stunning breakthrough.
In 2020, Jumper and Hassabis presented an AI model called AlphaFold2. With its help, they have been able to predict the structure of virtually all the 200 million proteins that researchers have identified. Since their breakthrough, AlphaFold2 has been used by more than 2 million people from 190 countries. Among a myriad of scientific applications, researchers can now better understand antibiotic resistance and create images of enzymes that can decompose plastic.
"I am immensely proud to congratulate our alumnus John Jumper on being awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in chemistry," Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs C. Cybele Raver said. "His groundbreaking work with Demis Hassabis on AlphaFold2, which has unlocked the ability to predict protein structures, represents a transformative moment in science with vast implications for medicine and sustainability. John's achievements inspire our entire community and reflect the innovative spirit we strive to cultivate at Vanderbilt."
Jumper, who is a graduate of the College of Arts and Science and was the inaugural speaker for the Vanderbilt School of Medicine Basic Sciences Apex Lecture on Aug. 30, is also the youngest awardee of the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 70 years. His work can now help scientists predict protein structures and design their own proteins-an immense benefit to humankind.
