Nobel Prize Chemist Confident in Alzheimer's Treatment Soon

Nobel Prize Winner Predicts Alzheimer's Treatment in Five Years

A Scottish chemist, Prof David MacMillan, who won the Nobel Prize, believes that drugs to treat Alzheimer's disease will be available within the next five years. Prof MacMillan, from North Lanarkshire and working at Princeton University, expressed optimism about advancements in medical research on neurological diseases. He mentioned that he had personal reasons for his interest in this field, as his father and aunt had suffered from dementia.

Prof MacMillan, along with Prof Benjamin List, received the 2021 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their innovative approach to building molecules. Their research has contributed to the development of treatments for Alzheimer's, cancer, and heart disease. The award had a significant impact on Prof MacMillan's life, leading him to establish The May and Billy MacMillan Foundation to support Scottish students from underprivileged backgrounds.

Growing up in New Stevenston near Bellshill, Prof MacMillan emphasized the importance of education in his life. He pursued his chemistry degree at the University of Glasgow before moving to the US for further studies. Despite his success, he expressed concerns about recent funding cuts in US universities, attributing them to political pressures from the Trump administration.

While facing challenges in the US academic environment, Prof MacMillan remains connected to his Scottish roots. He shared a friendship with Sir Alex Ferguson, who congratulated him on his Nobel Prize win. The two have bonded over their Glasgow upbringing and plan to attend a football match together. Additionally, a portrait of Prof MacMillan has been unveiled at the National Galleries of Scotland, depicting him in his office with a lab coat that holds sentimental value from his school days.