Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun Awarded the Nobel in Medicine for Discovery of MicroRNAs
On Monday, two scientists — Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun — have been named the awardees of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work in discovering microRNA, a key molecule tied to regulation of cellular development and function. The discovery has fundamentally transformed our understanding of gene regulation, revealing new targets to treat a host of diseases such as cancer, autoimmune disorders and diabetes.
What is miRNA and why it matters?
A class of RNA molecules called MicroRNA are small in structure, but work to regulate cell function that enables multicellular organisms like us humansEndElement Called regulators, these tiny molecules signal larger RNA molecules that enable the assembly of proteins to restrain or terminate production. Normal patterns of gene regulation are vital to directing the proper function of different cell types, and defects in this regulation can have dire health consequences with diseases such as cancer or diabetes.
The discovery laid the foundation for a new additive mechanism of gene regulation that is fundamental to understand how development of complex organisms occurs and what causes diseases.
How MicroRNA Was Discovered
Dr. Ambros and Dr. Ruvkun found the molecules in the body of a minuscule roundworm called C. elegans which was already known as an ideal model organism for research due to its basic anatomical features. They discovered that the microRNA molecules regulate protein synthesis — an essential component for normal cell function. This was a huge change in the world of molecular biology as scientists had always believed that proteins used to be controlled exclusively through larger RNA molecules.
Their conclusions, first published in 1993, were met initially with skepticism. But in 1993 subsequent studies showed that microRNA exists in humans and other animals, settling the fact that this mode of gene regulation is essential to all complex organisms.
Impact of the Discovery
In the broader scope, microRNA is also potentially transformative for medicine. Dysfunction/mutations in microRNA-associated gene(s) can lead to a range of diseases as well such as congenital hearing loss, primary eye disorder etc. Therapies that interfere with microRNA function are now being tested in clinical trials for cancer, heart disease, and neurodegenerative disorders.
The revelation of the microbiome is transforming our comprehension of disease origins and providing new opportunities to potentially reverse or prevent these comorbidities.
About the Nobel Laureates
Victor Ambros, PhD Silverman Professor of Natural Science University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester, Massachusetts He is a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School in Boston. These contributions are cemented in the history of genetics and molecular biology.
The Nobel Prize in 2024, is it important?
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is the first of six big-ticket awards that are announced on the respective dates every year. It showcases path-breaking contributions across discipline. The Nobel Prize in Physics, Chemistry, Literature, Peace and Economic Sciences will follow later this week.
Past Winning of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman were awarded the Nobel Prize in 2023 for their work on COVID-19 vaccines given to billions of people around the world.
Keep an eye out for more 2024 Nobel Prize nominations.
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