Nobel Prize in Medicine Awarded for Discovery of microRNA

Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun are recognized for revealing a novel gene regulation mechanism essential to multicellular life.

Ambros and Ruvkun's groundbreaking work identified microRNAs, small RNA molecules that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally.
Their discovery began with research on the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans, leading to insights applicable across many species, including humans.
MicroRNAs play a crucial role in cellular differentiation and function, with implications for understanding diseases like cancer and heart disease.
The Nobel Prize acknowledges the foundational impact of microRNA research, despite initial skepticism about its significance beyond worms.
Current research is exploring microRNA's potential in diagnostics and treatment, although direct applications have yet to reach patients.