Nobel Prize Conversations John Jumper: Nobel Prize Conversations
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Jun 18, 2025 
John Jumper, a distinguished scientist at Google DeepMind and the 2024 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry, dives deep into his journey with AlphaFold. He recounts the exhilarating moment of the Nobel announcement and reflects on his early passion for science. Jumper discusses the transformative power of AI in protein structure prediction and how AlphaFold changed perceptions in computational biology. He ponders the future of AI's creativity in scientific inquiry and shares how he balances intense research with family life.
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Nobel Call Shared With Team
- John Jumper described receiving the Nobel call while on a conference call with his team and the immediate flood of messages from people he'd impacted.
- He recalled sharing the announcement with colleagues and signing autographs, highlighting the social reaction to the prize.
Prize Timing Shapes Next Chapter
- Jumper values getting the prize close to the discovery because it allows him to 'turn the page' and start new work sooner.
- He sees the Nobel as a platform with both opportunities and distracting demands on time.
From Dropping Out To Chemistry PhD
- After leaving a Cambridge PhD in condensed matter physics, Jumper worked in industry and later applied to PhD programs with his wife, ultimately switching to chemistry at Chicago.
- He learned general chemistry in a week to start the PhD and later credited that path for making him a chemist.