2024 nobel prize in medicine awarded for microRNA discovery

2024 nobel prize in medicine awarded for microRNA discovery
Related media – Linked media

Two American scientists, Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun, have received the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their groundbreaking work on microRNA. This tiny molecule plays a vital role in regulating gene expression, influencing how organisms develop and function. Their research, using the roundworm C. elegans, unveiled a new layer of complexity in the central dogma of molecular biology, demonstrating how microRNA acts as a control mechanism for protein production.

This discovery has significant implications for understanding and treating diseases. MicroRNA’s regulatory function can be disrupted in conditions like cancer, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders. The Nobel committee emphasized the potential for microRNA-based therapies, with ongoing clinical trials for various diseases including heart disease and neurodegenerative conditions.

The prize also highlights the importance of collaboration and curiosity-driven research. Ambros and Ruvkun, initially competitors at separate institutions, joined forces upon realizing their research intersected. Their combined efforts revealed the widespread presence of microRNA across the animal kingdom, emphasizing the significance of their initial findings in the humble roundworm. This collaborative spirit, coupled with decades of publicly funded research, ultimately led to a fundamental shift in our understanding of genetic regulation.

Connected media – Linked media