US scientists awarded 2024 Nobel Prize in medicine for microRNA discovery

Scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun have been awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their groundbreaking discovery of microRNA and its role in gene regulation.

The announcement was made on Monday, News.Az reports.

The Nobel Assembly of Sweden’s Karolinska Institute selected the winners, who will receive a prize of 11 million Swedish crowns ($1.1 million).

As the first of the annual Nobel Prizes to be announced, the medicine prize is part of a prestigious series that honors achievements in science, literature, and humanitarian efforts. The remaining five prizes will be unveiled in the coming days.

Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun discovered microRNA, a new class of tiny RNA molecules that play a crucial role in gene regulation. Their groundbreaking discovery in the small worm C. elegans revealed a completely new principle of gene regulation. This turned out to be essential for multicellular organisms, including humans. MicroRNAs are proving to be fundamentally important for how organisms develop and function.

News.Az