US scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine on Monday for their groundbreaking discovery of microRNA and its crucial role in gene regulation, addressing a long-standing mystery in genetics, according to the Nobel Assembly at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute.
The jury highlighted that their findings revealed a new principle of gene regulation essential for multicellular organisms, including humans. This discovery is particularly significant as disruptions in gene regulation can lead to serious diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and autoimmune illnesses.
Ruvkun expressed his shock at receiving the prestigious award. “It’s quite a sea change,” said the 72-year-old Harvard Medical School professor, who received a call from the prize committee in the early hours of Monday. He noted that while he had won other awards, this recognition felt vastly different due to the immediate media attention, including TV crews and numerous emails from friends.
Ruvkun also mentioned that he and Ambros, who are longtime friends, celebrated with a congratulatory video call that morning. He eagerly anticipated the Nobel gala banquet scheduled for December 10 in Stockholm, where the laureates will receive their prizes from Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf. “It’s a party. You don’t think of a bunch of scientists as party animals, but we really are,” he remarked.