Mon Oct 07 12:20:52 UTC 2024: ## Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Awarded to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for Discovery of MicroRNA
**STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN -** Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun have been jointly awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their groundbreaking discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation. The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institutet announced the winners on Monday.
Ambros and Ruvkun, who were both postdoctoral fellows in the laboratory of Robert Horvitz (a 2002 Nobel Prize laureate), were interested in how different cell types develop. Their research on the tiny roundworm, C. elegans, led to the discovery of microRNAs, a class of tiny RNA molecules that regulate gene activity.
“Their surprising discovery revealed an entirely new dimension to gene regulation,” said the Nobel Academy in a press statement. “MicroRNAs are proving to be fundamentally important for how organisms develop and function.”
This discovery has had a significant impact on our understanding of gene regulation and its role in various biological processes, including development and disease. The Nobel Assembly emphasized the importance of gene regulation, stating that “if gene regulation goes awry, it can lead to serious diseases such as cancer, diabetes, or autoimmunity.”
The Nobel Prize, established by Alfred Nobel, is awarded annually to individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields. The Prize in Physiology or Medicine is the first of six Nobel Prizes to be announced this year. The winners will be awarded 10 million Swedish kronor (approximately $900,000) on December 10th.
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