U.S. scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun have been honored with the 2024 Nobel Prize in Medicine for their revolutionary discovery of microRNA and its vital role in the growth and function of multicellular organisms. Their research clarified how cells, despite having the same genetic information, can differentiate into specialized types, such as muscle and nerve cells, which is essential for the complexity of living beings.
Ambros and Ruvkun uncovered a new class of small RNA molecules known as microRNA, which are crucial for regulating gene expression. The Nobel Assembly recognized their work, stating that it revealed a groundbreaking principle of gene regulation that is fundamental to the existence of multicellular life forms, including humans. Ambros described microRNA as a "communication network among genes," allowing cells to generate a variety of complex structures and functions.
In conversations after receiving the award, Ruvkun shared his surprise at the recognition, comparing the Nobel Prize to Major League Baseball's "The Show" and emphasizing the global importance of the honor. He humorously remarked that his long collaboration with Ambros has made them "joined at the hip" throughout their careers. Ambros echoed this sentiment, expressing joy in sharing the award with a cherished colleague.
Ambros serves as a professor at UMass Chan Medical School, while Ruvkun is a professor at Harvard Medical School and is affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital. Their significant research began in the late 1980s when they were postdoctoral fellows in Robert Horvitz's laboratory, a Nobel Prize winner from 2002. Their initial studies focused on microRNA in roundworms, where they found that these molecules play a key role in the growth and development of tissues and organs. Although their findings were initially considered specific to this species, subsequent research from Ruvkun's team in 2000 demonstrated that this regulatory mechanism is shared across all animal life, having evolved over 500 million years.
The impact of their discoveries extends widely into biology and medicine, significantly enhancing the understanding of gene regulation and opening avenues for further advancements in genetic research and therapy. Their pioneering work continues to influence new studies in developmental biology and genetic engineering, shaping the direction of future scientific inquiry.