The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to US scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their groundbreaking research on microRNA. This research illuminates gene function in the body, influencing the development of specialized cells like those found in bone, nerve, and heart tissues.
Their findings introduced a vital new principle in gene regulation critical to multicellular organisms, including humans.
The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute highlighted that their work has revolutionized our understanding of human genome operation, identifying over one thousand microRNAs as key in gene expression.
Ambros and Ruvkun will share an 11 million Swedish kronor ($1.05 million) prize for their contributions.
The Nobel Prize, initiated by Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, in 1895, ranks among the most revered awards globally. Officials present the award annually in Stockholm, Sweden. Each recipient receives a medal, a diploma, and a monetary prize.