American scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun on Monday, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for their pioneering work on microRNA, a discovery that has unlocked new insights into gene regulation.
This breakthrough has helped solve a long-standing mystery about how genes are controlled, according to the Nobel Assembly at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute.
Gene regulation is a critical process in the human body, and when it malfunctions, it can lead to severe conditions like cancer, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders.
The Nobel jury praised Ambros and Ruvkun for revealing “a completely new principle of gene regulation that turned out to be essential for multicellular organisms, including humans.”
Ruvkun, a 72-year-old professor at Harvard Medical School, expressed his surprise upon learning about the prestigious recognition.
“It’s quite a sea change,” he told AFP, explaining how the news dramatically impacted his morning. While he had won other awards before, he remarked, “Those were very quiet in comparison.” Shortly after the announcement, his home buzzed with activity, with reporters, TV crews, and a flood of congratulatory messages pouring in. “There’s already been TV crews and photographers, and 300 email messages from friends!” he said, while his dog barked as more reporters arrived.
Ruvkun and Ambros, who have been close collaborators and friends for many years, shared a moment of joy after receiving the news.
“We just FaceTimed to high-five. We’ve been friends for years,” Ruvkun revealed. They both look forward to celebrating together at the Nobel gala banquet on December 10 in Stockholm, where King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden will present them with their awards. Ruvkun joked about the excitement surrounding the event: “It’s a party. You don’t think of a bunch of scientists as party animals but we really are.” He emphasized that he and Ambros would be “celebrating like crazy,” lauding his fellow laureate as “always positive and wonderful.”
Ambros, a professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, learned about the award in a rather unconventional way.
The Nobel committee had trouble reaching him by phone, so a Swedish public radio reporter delivered the news.
“Wow, that’s incredible! I didn’t know that,” Ambros said, surprised but delighted. “Good. Wonderful,” he added.
Their groundbreaking research, conducted independently but in collaboration, focused on a tiny roundworm species, ‘Caenorhabditis elegans’ (C. elegans).
This work aimed to understand the reasons behind cell mutations and the timing of these changes.
In 1993, the pair published their findings, revealing the existence of microRNA—a previously unknown class of small RNA molecules that regulate gene expression by allowing cells to interpret only the most relevant genetic instructions.
Thomas Perlmann, the secretary general of the Nobel Assembly, highlighted the significance of their discovery, stating that it introduced “a new and unexpected mechanism of gene regulation.”
He added that microRNAs play a crucial role in various biological processes, including embryonic development and the physiology of healthy cells. Furthermore, their malfunction is linked to serious diseases such as cancer.
Although practical applications for microRNAs are still in their early stages, significant research efforts are underway. Gunilla Karlsson Hedestam, a biology professor at the Karolinska Institute, pointed out that understanding microRNAs is “the first step” toward broader medical applications. Current clinical trials are exploring their potential in treating a wide range of conditions, including cardiovascular and kidney diseases, in addition to cancer.
The Nobel Prize in Medicine comes with a gold medal, a diploma, and a $1 million reward, to be shared by Ambros and Ruvkun.
Their win follows 2023 prize awarded to Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman for their groundbreaking work on mRNA technology, which was instrumental in developing the COVID-19 vaccines.
As the Nobel season progresses, the announcement of the physics prize is scheduled for Tuesday, followed by chemistry on Wednesday. On Thursday, the prestigious literature prize will be revealed, and on Friday, the highly anticipated Nobel Peace Prize will be awarded. The season will conclude with the economics prize on October 14.
For the upcoming physics prize, there is speculation that Swiss physicist Christoph Gerber might be honored for his revolutionary work on the atomic force microscope.
This device, which provides incredibly detailed 3D images on a molecular level, has become a vital tool in nanotechnology research. Other potential candidates include David Deutsch and Peter Shor for their contributions to quantum computing and quantum algorithms, as highlighted by Clarivate Analytics.
