According to the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, Professor Omar M. Yaghi, together with Professor Susumu Kitagawa and Professor Richard Robson, was honored “for developing a completely new type of molecular architecture.” 

In these structures, metal ions serve as “building blocks” connected by long, carbon-based organic linkers, forming crystalline materials that contain large internal cavities. These porous substances are known as metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). 

Image 1. Prof. Omar M. Yaghi – awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. (Photo: The Guardian) 

By varying the molecular “building blocks” that make up MOFs, chemists can design materials capable of absorbing or storing specific molecules. MOFs can also catalyze chemical reactions or conduct electricity. “Metal–organic frameworks have enormous potential, offering unprecedented opportunities to create customized materials with novel functions,” said Heiner Linke, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry. 

Previously, in 2021, Prof. Yaghi was honored with the VinFuture Special Prize for Innovators in Emerging Fields for his pioneering discovery of metal–organic framework (MOF) materials. At the time, the VinFuture Prize Council noted that, if successfully applied, these materials could transform the lives of millions – helping communities in water-scarce regions access clean water and improving overall quality of life. 

Image 2. Prof. Omar M. Yaghi receives the VinFuture Special Prize for Emerging Fields at the inaugural VinFuture Awards Ceremony in Hanoi (2021). (Photo: VinFuture Foundation) 

Prof. Yaghi’s Nobel recognition in 2025 is not only a source of pride for the global scientific community but also reaffirms the VinFuture Prize’s strategic vision and its ability to identify breakthrough discoveries with profound worldwide impact. 

Notably, Prof. Susumu Kitagawa, a co-laureate of this year’s Nobel Prize, has also been an active contributor to the success of VinFuture, emphasizing the deepening connection between VinFuture and the world’s foremost scientific institutions. 

Established and held annually in Vietnam, the VinFuture Prize has quickly emerged as one of the world’s leading science and technology awards, celebrating not only academic excellence but also impact to humanity and real-world benefits to people’s lives. 

Its network of nominators has expanded to nearly 14,800 scientists in 90 countries and territories across 5 continents, strengthening Vietnam’s position on the global scientific map. 

In just five years, VinFuture has witnessed many of its laureates go on to receive the world’s most prestigious honors – including the Nobel Prize. 

Among them are the 2021 VinFuture Grand Prize Laureates, Dr. Katalin Karikó and Prof. Drew Weissman, who received the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine; Dr. Demis Hassabis and Dr. John Jumper, Laureates of the 2022 VinFuture Special Prize for Innovators with Outstanding Achievements in Emerging Fields, who were awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry; and Prof. Geoffrey Hinton, the 2024 VinFuture Grand Prize Laureate, who was later honored with the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics. 

These consecutive honors from the Nobel Committee are concrete evidence of the VinFuture Prize’s ability to recognize world-changing innovations ahead of their time, and highlight its strategic alignment with the global trajectory of science and technology.