The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2012 was awarded jointly to Robert J. Lefkowitz and Brian K. Kobilka "for studies of G-protein-coupled receptors"

 

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/2012/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-19894971

The biologists are at it again, I see.

The biologists are at it again, I see.

 

Maybe one of us can do some real chemistry and show the Nobel panel what a real (small molecule) chemist can do.

I must admit it did read a bit like a second prize in Medicine or Physiology - I decided not to post that comment to avoid antagonising the chemists on the forum, but it seems the Nobel Committee have beaten me to it.

They do this every couple of years. I can only assume out of pity.

In all fairness I think the prize is well deserved.

 

I've read arguments elsewhere on the net that instead of thinking that molecular biology is stealing the chemistry prize we should realize that chemistry is becoming advanced enough to begin to answer big questions about physiology.

 

Or maybe it is a sign that we are in one of those great exciting times were fields are merging and "the world is shrinking". I think the example of QM being used to predict the spectra of complex organic molecules (my personal obsession) is an analagous example of the unification of fields of study.

 

Every person in science fears reductionism to a certain degree. Only the mathematicians are truly immune to it .

Edited October 10, 201213 yr by mississippichem

The biologists are at it again, I see.

 

Well actually both were MDs and switched to biochemistry from there...

Also, there is no pure bio Nobel (medicine and physiology is a bit more specialized).

The biologists are at it again, I see.

 

 

 

Yes, It great to see two American bags Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Do u Know About Serge Haroche

and

David J. Wineland ? http://qualitypoint.blogspot.in/2012/10/the-nobel-prize-in-physics-2012-was.html