American scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for their pioneering research into microRNA, a discovery that sheds light on gene regulation and its impact on cellular function.
This breakthrough, announced by the Nobel Assembly at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, has solved a decades-old mystery around how genes are controlled, with implications for understanding diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders.
The Nobel Committee praised their work, noting, “Their groundbreaking discovery revealed a completely new principle of gene regulation that turned out to be essential for multicellular organisms, including humans.”
The pair’s research has paved the way for further study into genetic control mechanisms that affect cell health and disease.
Ruvkun, a professor at Harvard Medical School, expressed surprise at receiving the prestigious award.
“It’s quite a sea change,” the 72-year-old professor at Harvard Medical School told AFP after receiving the news in a call from the prize committee in the early hours of Monday.
“I’ve won other awards in the past, but those were very quiet in comparison.”
“There’s already been TV crews and photographers, and 300 email messages from friends!” he said, as his dog barked at the front door with more reporters arriving.
He added that he celebrated with Ambros, whom he described as a longtime friend, during a cheerful FaceTime call.
The two are set to attend the Nobel banquet in Stockholm on December 10, where Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf will formally present them with their awards.
Ambros, a professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, was initially unaware of his win until informed by a Swedish reporter.
Overwhelmed with joy, he remarked, “Wow, that’s incredible! I didn’t know that,” the 70-year-old professor at the University of Massachusetts medical school said, adding: “Good. Wonderful.”
The duo’s research focused on the tiny roundworm *C. elegans*, through which they uncovered microRNA—small RNA molecules that regulate gene expression and enable cells to carry out specific instructions.
Their findings, published in 1993, marked the discovery of a previously unknown mechanism for gene control, with applications in understanding cell development, normal physiology, and diseases like cancer.
Thomas Perlmann, Secretary General of the Nobel Assembly, highlighted the significance of microRNAs, emphasizing their relevance in early development and cellular health.
Gunilla Karlsson Hedestam, a professor of biology at Karolinska Institute, added that ongoing medical trials are exploring microRNA’s potential in treating conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular issues, and kidney disease.
The Nobel Prize includes a diploma, a gold medal, and a $1 million prize, to be shared by Ambros and Ruvkun. Last year’s award went to Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman for their research on messenger RNA (mRNA), crucial to COVID-19 vaccine development.
The Nobel announcements will continue this week with awards in physics, chemistry, literature, and peace. The final prize for economics will be awarded on October 14.
Science experts have speculated that Swiss physicist Christoph Gerber, known for his work on the atomic force microscope, may be a contender for the physics prize, along with David Deutsch and Peter Shor, whose contributions to quantum computing have advanced the field.
