5 projects winning VinFuture 2023 awards

11 scientists were honored for pioneering research related to high-yield rice varieties, the hole in the ozone layer, solar cells, Lithium-ion battery storage, and diabetes and obesity.

1. Solar cell technology

The largest VinFuture Grand Prize (3 million USD) was awarded to 4 scientists for their breakthrough inventions, creating a sustainable foundation for green energy through solar cell production and solar storage. Lithium-ion battery.

Among them, Professor Martin Andrew Green, University of New South Wales, Australia is a pioneer in developing passive emitter and rear contact (PERC) technology for solar cells. Professor Martin is known for holding the silicon solar cell performance record for 30 of the past 39 years, described as one of the 10 milestones in the history of solar photovoltaics.

Professor Martin Green. (Photo: Van Luu).

Improved solar cell performance has ushered in an era of efficient renewable energy production, contributing to a fair and sustainable world. Silicon solar cell technology has been developed by many scientists everywhere for decades. However, modern high-performance solar cells rely on passive emitter and PERC technology pioneered by Professor Martin Green's group.

Green was the first to describe and his group was the first to develop and demonstrate experimentally two fundamentally different approaches to improving silicon cell performance. His research team has significantly improved the efficiency of solar cells, paving the way for more widespread use of solar energy. Improvements include reducing energetic photon loss by using a back surface reflector, which incorporates a dielectric layer and a thin metal layer to reduce photon absorption. Additionally, they have developed back surface passivation techniques, using dielectric layers or heterostructures to reduce carrier losses. These discoveries have led to the remarkable development of PERC technology that optimizes solar cell performance and demonstrates the feasibility of incorporating these advanced technologies into mass production.

2. Lithium-ion battery creation

The main VinFuture Grand Prize was also awarded to Professor Stanley Whittingham, Binghamton University, State University of New York, USA and two other scientists including Professor Rachid Yazami (Moroccan) and Professor Akira Yoshin (Japan). with groundbreaking pioneering work on Lithium-ion batteries.

This type of battery has laid the foundation for a wireless and fossil fuel-free society, bringing great benefits to humanity. Thanks to this research, along with the late American professor John B. Goodenough, Professor Akira Yoshino, Stanley Whittingham became the winner of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Professor Stanley Whittingham, winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2019. (Photo: Van Luu).

Professor Whittingham invented the operating principle of the Lithium-ion battery and determined the role of Lithium ion as an effective charge carrier. He is the originator and discoverer of the operating principle of the Lithium-ion battery. Starting from a breakthrough in 1974, he created the first Lithium-ion battery model, opening a new era in the field of energy storage. He pioneered the concept of electrode intercalation and meticulously described the diffusion of Lithium into various metal crystal lattices. Whittingham also focused on improving the structural stability and cycle count of the batteries, through the application of multi-electron intercalation reactions to enhance their stability and capacity.

Since entering the market in 1991, Lithium-ion batteries power some of today's most commonly used devices, from laptops to smart phones. The development of lithium-ion batteries also made electric vehicles possible, while also promoting the development of wireless communication.

3. High-yield rice varieties resistant to brown planthopper disease

Along with Professor Gurdev Singh Khush, an Indian-American, Professor Vo Tong Xuan, Nam Can Tho University was awarded a special award for scientists from developing countries. The award honors his fundamental research in inventing and disseminating disease-resistant rice varieties, contributing to strengthening global food security. He is the first Vietnamese scientist to be awarded the VinFuture Award.

Professor Vo Tong Xuan. (Photo: Van Luu).

During the agricultural revolution, Professor Xuan played an important role in disseminating the IR36 variety throughout pest-infested areas in the Mekong Delta and collaborating with farmers to apply the techniques. Advanced implants. Through these initiatives, he promoted expanded access to quality rice seeds and increased rice production at lower costs without the use of toxic chemicals.

By the 1980s, the IR36 rice variety was used globally with a cultivated area of ​​up to 11 million hectares. By 2000, the widespread dissemination of IR36 and other rice varieties contributed significantly to increased rice productivity, with production increasing to 600 million tons. In addition to IR36, IR64 has been widely planted across 10 million hectares within two decades of its introduction to the market, creating a positive impact on the lives of millions of people worldwide. IR64 was first popularized in the Philippines in 1985, soon followed in Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China, Ecuador, Gambia, India, Indonesia, Mauritania, Mozambique, Vietnam and the Sahelian regions of West Africa . By 2018, IR64 and its descendants were widely grown in many countries and were the most popular rice varieties in tropical Asia, proving their superiority and special adaptability.

4. Discovery of the GLP-1 hormone to help lose weight and treat diabetes

2023 saw a boom in metabolism-modifying drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro. These drugs are based on the hormone GLP-1 , which may reduce both diabetes and cardiovascular risk. Targeting the GLP-1 receptor also effectively supports weight loss. This discovery of the hormone GLP-1 brought a Special Award for scientists researching new fields to Professor Jens Juul Holst, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Professor Jens Juul Holst. (Photo: Van Luu).

Professor Holst is a pioneering scientist in the field of endocrinology and metabolism. In parallel with Professor Joel Habener's research group at Massachusetts General Hospital, Professor Holst's research group at the University of Copenhagen discovered the structure and role of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) in Regulates gastrointestinal motility and insulin levels. Building on the discovery of GLP-1 in the mammalian intestine and pancreas in 1986, a year later he published groundbreaking research on the discovery of the functional isoform of structural GLP-1 molecule shorter than 7 amino acids, designated proglucagon 78-107 or GLP-1 (7-36).

The discovery of the GLP-1 (7-36) isoform subsequently led to the discovery of this peptide's role in regulating insulin and glucose in humans, ushering in the era of diabetes and obesity-based treatments. GLP-1.

Not only did Professor Holst make a major contribution to the identification of biological roles and the development of GLP-1-based therapies, but he also played a key role in determining the activity of the enzyme dipeptidyl-peptidase-4 (DDP-4). during GLP-1 degradation. From this discovery, a new class of drugs based on DDP-4 inhibition was born and helps significantly improve the effectiveness of GLP-1 therapies by increasing the drug's lifespan in the body. and enhance their stability and biological effectiveness.

This award was also awarded to associate professor Svetlana Mojsov , Rockefeller University, USA, for her groundbreaking contributions in finding functional isoforms of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), opening up a series of works. research and development of therapies based on this peptide. While working at Massachusetts General Hospital in 1986, Ms. Mojsov collaborated with researchers in discovering a series of isoforms of GLP-1, including GLP-1 (1-37), GLP-1 (1-36), GLP-1 (7-37) and GLP-1 (7-36), which were only possible through her efforts in isolating peptide-type-specific antibodies This.

Professor Svetlana Mojsov. (Photo: Van Luu)

In the same year, she also published fundamental research in the development of the field when she found GLP-1 (1-37) in the stomach of mice. Then in 1987, she continued with Professor Habener and Dr. Gordon Weir to publish the first observation of the insulin-stimulating effect of GLP-1 (7-37) in a mouse pancreas model. The discoveries in identifying the physiological and endocrine roles of GLP-1 by Professor Svetlana Mojsov have laid the foundation for drug development efforts and clinical trials using GLP-1 to combat obesity. obesity and diabetes, opening up opportunities to improve health for hundreds of millions of people around the world.

5. Discover the mechanism of formation of the ozone hole

The Special Award for Women Scientist was awarded to Professor Susan Solomon, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA - a pioneer scientist in the field of atmospheric chemistry, with groundbreaking contributions that helped expand our understanding. humanity about the phenomenon of ozone layer depletion and the role of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha awarded the award to Professor Susan Solomon on the evening of December 20 in Hanoi. (Photo: Giang Huy).

Originating from the calculations of Professor Mario Molina and Sherwood Rowland in 1974, the hypothesis about the impact of CFCs on the ozone layer has been widely concerned and researched by the scientific community for many years. However, it was not until 1986-1987 that this hypothesis was convincingly proven after Professor Solomon's experiments in Antarctica collected reliable evidence of the particularly large hole in the ozone layer caused by by CFC in this area. The experiment also confirmed her previous hypotheses that the high density of stratospheric clouds in the Antarctic region created electromagnetic attraction with CFCs.

The results of these empirical studies then spurred global efforts and led to the birth of the Montreal Protocol . This is one of the most successful international agreements in addressing a global environmental problem, helping to achieve a worldwide consensus to phase out ozone-damaging substances such as CFCs.

In addition, Solomon's extensive discoveries also enriched the understanding of climate dynamics, focusing on areas such as atmospheric chemistry, climate feedback mechanisms, and anthropogenic impacts on temperature. global level. Her insights and leadership have shaped international scientific and policy paradigms, contributing greatly to global environmental protection efforts.

The award by the VinFuture Foundation was initiated in 2020 and awarded annually to breakthrough scientific and technological inventions that have the potential to create meaningful changes in people's lives. After three seasons, 27 scientists have been honored. The total prize is worth 4.5 million USD, including a main prize of 3 million USD and 3 special prizes of 500,000 USD each, with 3 categories: Female Scientists, Scientists from developing countries and Scientist researches new fields.

VinFuture 2023 received 1,389 nominations, from 90 countries and territories across 5 continents. This number for the second year was 970 and for the first season there were 599 nominations.