The researchers at the world’s largest free-electron laser, the European XFEL, are delighted that Demis Hassabis, John M. Jumper and David Baker have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The decoding of protein structures is an important field of research for X-ray lasers such as the European XFEL.
David Baker has been an active user of the European XFEL since 2022. His team has actively participated in single-molecule imaging experiments at the Small Quantum Systems (SQS) and SPB/SFX instrument.
There, they recorded diffraction patterns of computationally designed proteins and single molecules for the first time.
“We are excited that David Baker has received the Nobel Prize for his ground-breaking work in the computer-aided design of de novo proteins”, says Thomas Feurer, Chairman of the Management Board of European XFEL. “We look forward to collaborating on upcoming experiments where he plans to explore the ultra-fast dynamics and behaviour of these innovative proteins with us.”
Read more on European XFEL website
Image: David Baker, Demis Hassabis and John Jumper. Ill. Niklas Elmehed
Credit: Nobel Prize Outreach