Nobel Prize in Medicine 2024: US researchers honored for microRNA discovery

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Medicine goes to two US researchers for the discovery of microRNA. Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun thus revealed a fundamental principle of gene regulation that is essential for the development and function of organisms. Their work opens up new perspectives for medical research.

Groundbreaking discovery in genetics

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Medicine honors a discovery that has revolutionized our understanding of gene regulation. US researchers Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun are being honored for their groundbreaking work on microRNA. These tiny RNA molecules play a crucial role in controlling gene activity in organisms. The discovery of microRNA opened a completely new chapter in genetics.

Every cell in our body contains the same genetic information, but different cell types such as muscle or nerve cells have very different properties. The mechanisms of gene regulation by microRNA described by Ambros and Ruvkun explain how such diverse cell types can arise from the same genetic “instruction manual”.

Their groundbreaking discovery revealed an entirely new principle of gene regulation that proved essential for multicellular organisms, including humans.

From laboratory to clinical application

Ambros and Ruvkun’s research has far-reaching implications for medicine. Errors in gene regulation can trigger serious diseases such as cancer, diabetes or autoimmune diseases. The deeper understanding of microRNA mechanisms opens up new possibilities for diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Victor Ambros, born in 1953, is currently a researcher at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. His colleague Gary Ruvkun, born in 1952, works at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. Their collaboration began in the 1980s at Harvard University and ultimately led to the award-winning discovery.

History and controversies

The Nobel Prize in Medicine looks back on a long tradition. Since 1901, 227 laureates have been honored, including only 13 women. According to Alfred Nobel’s will, the award is given for achievements that have “brought the greatest benefit to humanity.”

The official name of the prize includes not only medicine but also physiology. This reflects the historical context in which physiology covered a much broader field than today. Researchers from areas such as behavioral biology and biochemistry have also been honored in the past.