2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

The 2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded jointly to Carolyn R. Bertozzi, Morten Meldal and K. Barry Sharpless for the development of click chemistry and bio-orthogonal chemistry, recognizing reactions that reliably “snap” molecules together and can be performed inside living systems without disturbing biology. The prize was given “for the development of click chemistry and bio-orthogonal chemistry,” honoring both the conceptual framework of click reactions and the extension of that idea into chemistry that can operate inside living organisms. Click HERE to read more on this award.

Key details from the Nobel Committee

• Discovery: K. Barry Sharpless coined and developed the idea of click chemistry—a set of chemical reactions that are fast, reliable, high‑yielding and produce minimal by‑products, enabling chemists to join molecular building blocks in a modular, predictable way. Independently, Morten Meldal and Sharpless developed practical implementations—most notably the copper‑catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC)—which became a workhorse reaction because of its robustness and broad applicability. Carolyn Bertozzi extended the click concept into living systems by inventing bio-orthogonal reactions—chemical transformations that proceed inside cells or organisms without interfering with native biochemical processes. This allowed researchers to label, track, and manipulate biomolecules in vivo.

• Impact:

-The Committee emphasized that these methods simplify molecular assembly, making it far easier to construct complex molecules, probe biological systems, and build functional materials.

-Examples include drug development, biomolecular imaging, materials science, and diagnostics—fields that benefit from rapid, selective linking of molecular components and from the ability to tag biomolecules in living cells.

-The award recognizes both a practical toolkit (reactions used daily in labs) and a paradigm shift toward modular, engineering‑style chemistry that prioritizes reliability and compatibility with complex environments.

Why this Matters

• Bio-orthogonal chemistry lets scientists label and follow biomolecules inside living organisms, improving our ability to study disease processes and deliver targeted therapies.

• Click reactions are used to assemble polymers, conjugate drugs, and create functional surfaces—tasks that benefit from predictable, clean chemistry at scale.

• Because click reactions are forgiving and easy to implement, they lower technical barriers and accelerate innovation across academic and industrial labs.