Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine on Monday for the discovery of microRNA, which plays a crucial role in determining how organisms develop and function — and how they sometimes malfunction.
MicroRNA are a class of tiny RNA molecules, Nobel Prize officials said. The discovery revealed a new principle of gene regulation that is crucial for multicellular organisms, including humans.
Gene regulation determines differences between types of cells, and if it goes off track it can lead to diseases such as cancer, diabetes or autoimmunity, the Nobel Committee said. Researchers now know that the human genome provides instructions for over 1,000 forms of micoRNA, which are important to the development and function of organisms.
Mr. Ambros is from Hanover, N.H. and is the Silverman Professor of Natural Science at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, Mass. Mr. Ruvkun, from Berkeley, Calif., is a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School.
This is a breaking news story that will be updated.
Who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2023?
Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman recognized work that led to the development of potent Covid vaccines — that were administered to billions around the world.
When will the other Nobel Prizes be announced?
The prize for physiology or medicine is the first of six Nobel Prizes that will be awarded this year. Each award recognizes groundbreaking contributions by an individual or organization in a specific field.
All of the prize announcements are streamed live by the Nobel Prize organization.
