2024 Nobel Prize Awarded for MicroRNA Discovery

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to American scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their groundbreaking discovery of microRNA, a molecule that plays a crucial role in gene regulation. Their research has revolutionized our understanding of how genes control cellular functions and has opened up new avenues for medical research and treatment.

CONTENTS:

• 2024 Nobel Prize for microRNA discovery.
• MicroRNA key to gene regulation.
• MicroRNA discovery sparks new research.

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to American scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their pioneering work in discovering microRNA, a molecule that plays a crucial role in regulating cellular functions. Their research unveiled how genes, which carry the blueprints for life, lead to the development of different cell types within the body through a process known as gene regulation.

The Nobel Committee, announcing the award in Sweden on Monday, hailed this discovery as “groundbreaking,” noting that it introduced a completely new understanding of gene regulation. MicroRNA, a group of molecules that influences the types of proteins produced by cells, has been active for hundreds of millions of years. Ambros, a professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and Ruvkun, a professor at Harvard Medical School, spent decades making this discovery possible.

Love Dalén, a professor of evolutionary genomics at Stockholm University, emphasized the significance of the discovery, stating, “It is crucial for understanding how cells function and how organisms develop.” He described the finding as revolutionary, noting its impact on nearly every area of biology and medicine. Dalén shared these remarks with CNN via email.

2024 Nobel Prize Awarded for MicroRNA Discovery The Nobel Committee, explaining the significance of the research, compared the information stored in our chromosomes to an instruction manual for all the cells in the body. While every cell contains the same chromosomes and set of genes, different cell types, such as muscle and nerve cells, exhibit unique characteristics. The two biologists dedicated their careers to exploring how these differences arise.

The committee noted that gene regulation is the key to this process, enabling each cell to use only the relevant instructions, ensuring that the correct genes are active in each cell type. MicroRNA’s role in gene regulation has facilitated the evolution of more complex organisms. When gene regulation malfunctions, it can lead to diseases such as cancer, hearing loss, and skeletal disorders.

“MicroRNAs are heavily involved in cancer, and ongoing research aims to develop treatments that either mimic or block microRNA to combat the disease,” said Thomas Perlmann, secretary-general of the Nobel Assembly. He acknowledged that technical challenges remain, and no drugs have been developed yet. “We are awarding this discovery for its fundamental importance to our understanding of physiology. Historically, such breakthroughs eventually lead to clinical advancements, but that takes time,” he told CNN.

2024 Nobel Prize Awarded for MicroRNA Discovery In their early research, Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun studied the genetics of the tiny roundworm C. elegans, a 1-millimeter-long organism with specialized cell types like nerve and muscle cells, making it an ideal model for understanding how tissues develop in multicellular organisms.

In 1993, Ambros discovered the first microRNA, but it was initially seen as a unique feature of *C. elegans*. “For over seven years, it was considered an oddity,” said Olle Kämpe, a professor of endocrinology at the Karolinska Institutet and vice chair of the Nobel medicine committee. Ambros’ discovery was largely ignored until Ruvkun identified another microRNA, proving that these molecules exist throughout the animal kingdom. “Then the field took off,” Kämpe added, noting that tens of thousands of microRNAs have since been found across various organisms.

David Pendlebury, head of research analysis at Clarivate’s Institute for Scientific Information, said that the Nobel recognition for Ambros and Ruvkun had been anticipated for years. He explained that microRNAs offer potential in diagnosing and treating diseases like cancer, with ongoing clinical trials exploring their use in patient prognosis and treatment response.

Janosch Heller, assistant professor in biomedical sciences at Dublin City University, remarked that their research “opened our eyes to the complex machinery that tightly regulates cellular activity.” Joshua Rosenthal, senior scientist at the University of Chicago’s Marine Biological Laboratory, noted that the discovery of microRNA helps explain why organisms with varying levels of complexity have a similar number of genes. The answer, he said, lies in how genes are regulated, like lights that can be turned on, off, or dimmed.

Once dismissed by scientists as mere contaminants, microRNAs are now recognized as crucial regulators in nearly all cells and tissues across plants and animals, Rosenthal added.

Last year, the Nobel Prize was awarded to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman for their groundbreaking work on mRNA vaccines, which played a pivotal role in combating the spread of COVID-19. The prize includes a cash award of 11 million Swedish kronor (about $1 million).