Duo wins Nobel prize for solving molecular ‘mirror image’ mystery
dpastockholmThis year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Henri Kagan of the former Paris-Sud University and Kenso Soai of Tokyo University of Science for “making chemis...
The 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Henri Kagan of Paris-Sud University and Kenso Soai of Tokyo University of Science for their work on the "homochirality" conundrum. The Nobel Committee explained that the pair solved a century-old mystery surrounding the emergence of "mirrored" molecular variants, which are abundant in nature and crucial to biological processes.
Kagan and Soai's groundbreaking research revealed how homochirality - the phenomenon where only one mirror image of a molecule is found in living organisms - can spontaneously emerge. Their innovative chemical reactions have been hailed as "spectacular" by Nobel Committee Chair Heiner Linke, and have significantly advanced the field of pharmaceutical design.
The importance of homochirality extends far beyond basic scientific curiosity. It plays a pivotal role in the development of modern medicines, as many drugs are specifically formulated as single stereoisomers that are effective, while their mirror images may be either ineffective or even toxic. Kagan and Soai's discoveries have provided chemists with the key to selectively creating these desired enantiomers, thereby revolutionizing drug design and production.
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