David Baker
Biochemist and protein-design researcher
University of Washington
United States
David Baker is a researcher affiliated with University of Washington. This profile connects verified scholarly identity information and publication records from OpenAlex and DOI sources. Research areas include Protein Structure and Dynamics, Enzyme Structure and Function, RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms, Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies Research, Bacteriophages and microbial interactions.
Read biography ↓Biography, research & contributions
Research profile
David Baker is a biochemist known for computational protein design. He received his doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley in 1989. The 2024 Nobel announcement identified his affiliation with the University of Washington and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. His research asks how new proteins can be designed for chosen structures and functions.
What protein design means
Proteins are chains of amino acids whose three-dimensional structures are important to their behaviour. Protein design works towards sequences with desired properties. This differs from structure prediction, which starts with a sequence and attempts to infer its shape. Baker’s contribution was recognised for computational design; the other half of the 2024 Chemistry Prize recognised protein-structure prediction.
Source: Royal Swedish Academy: computational protein design and prediction ↗
Why the contribution is useful
Designing proteins expands the range of molecules available for research beyond those already observed in nature. It also creates an experimental test of understanding: a proposed sequence must actually produce the intended behaviour. Computational work and laboratory validation therefore belong together. A promising design is a research result, not automatically a ready-to-use medicine or industrial product.
Recognition and further reading
Baker received half of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for computational protein design. Begin with the prize announcement for an overview, then consult the scientific background for the development of the field and its cited publications. The background is especially useful for separating the design problem from the related prediction problem.
At a glance
- Full name
- David Baker
- Fields
- Biochemistry, Biology
- ORCID
- https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7896-6217
- OpenAlex ID
- A5053192926
Research interests
- Computational protein design
- Protein structure
- Protein engineering
Research topics
Education
- 1989 — PhD, University of California, Berkeley
Selected research & further reading
A curated reading list, not a ranking by citation count. References use DOI metadata, matching public scholarly records or authoritative lecture sources.
- Design of a Novel Globular Protein Fold with Atomic-Level Accuracy ↗2003 · ScienceDOI: 10.1126/science.1089427
Citation & publication trends
Annual counts are not yet available from a verified author record. Explore the research guide above for the work itself; publication and citation totals depend on database coverage.
Most-cited linked publications
- Data for EMSL Project 50414 from July 20252026-09-04 · DOE Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Repository0record citations
- Data for EMSL Project 50414 from August 20252026-09-04 · DOE Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Repository0record citations
- Data for EMSL Project 50414 from August 20252026-09-04 · DOE Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Repository0record citations
- Data for EMSL Project 50414 from July 20252026-09-04 · DOE Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Repository0record citations
- Bifunctional Phagocytic Synapse Enhancers Remodel the Tumor Microenvironment to Overcome Immunosuppression2026-09-04 · Cancer Research0record citations
Recent linked publications
- Data for EMSL Project 50414 from June 20252026-09-06 · DOE Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Repository
- Data for EMSL Project 50414 from June 20252026-09-06 · DOE Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Repository
- Data for EMSL Project 50414 from June 20252026-09-06 · DOE Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Repository
- Data for EMSL Project 50414 from July 20252026-09-04 · DOE Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Repository
- Data for EMSL Project 50414 from August 20252026-09-04 · DOE Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Repository
Journals published in
Related publishers
Institutions
Current verified institution
No verified record links added yet.
Previous institutions
No verified record links added yet.
Awards & honors
- 2024 — Nobel Prize in Chemistry, for computational protein design
Career timeline
- 1989 — PhD, University of California, Berkeley
- 2024 — Nobel Prize in Chemistry, for computational protein design
Co-authors
No verified record links added yet.
Education & career institution links
No verified record links added yet.
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Sign in to claim this profileSources & data information
Editorial review: 2026-10-03 · Last data update: 2026-10-03
- https://openalex.org/A5053192926
- https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/2024/press-release/
- https://www.nobelprize.org/uploads/2024/10/advanced-chemistryprize2024.pdf
Unknown values are left blank. Linked publications may be a subset of total works. Identity verification, data retrieval and profile ownership are separate checks.
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