This year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine went to Victor Ambrose (a professor at Massachusetts Medical School) and Gary Lovecon (a professor at Harvard Medical School), both American molecular biologists who contributed to the discovery of microRNA. The prize money is 11 million Swedish kronor.
The Nobel Committee of Sweden’s Karolinska Institute announced on the 7th (local time) that it has selected the two winners of this year’s physiological medicine award. According to the Nobel Committee, the two biologists discovered microRNAs that are about 10 times smaller than the size of the RNAs that play an important role in genetic regulation.
The Nobel Committee evaluated, “This groundbreaking discovery made by the two in C. elegans, a worm about 1 mm in size, has revealed a completely new principle of genetic regulation.”
MicroRNAs, which play a role in inhibiting biological gene expression, are involved in various life phenomena such as cell growth, development, differentiation, and death, and are also closely related to numerous diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and viral infection, according to data from the Dr. Paul Jansen Award. The discovery of microRNAs has opened new horizons in the fields of biology and medicine, suggesting innovative approaches for treating diseases.
Ambrose and LoveCon are the leaders of a revolutionary discovery that revealed that a small RNA molecule called ‘microRNA’ plays an important role in the conversion of DNA’s genetic information into proteins.
The two men, who first met while studying nematode genes at MIT’s Robert Hovitz Laboratory, noticed the interaction between the two genes, lin-4 and lin-14, which became an important clue to the discovery of microRNA. Through their respective studies, they found that lin-4 generates short RNA fragments instead of encoding proteins. This short RNA fragment (microRNA) suppressed the expression of the lin-14 gene.
In recognition of the discovery of microRNA, Ambrose and Lovecorn have received numerous awards, including the Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award, the Gardner International Award, the Breakthrough Award in Life Sciences, the Gruber Genetics Award, and the Paul Janssen Biomedical Research Award. MicroRNA is considered an important key to understanding life phenomena as their research has had a significant impact on the field of life science.
Starting with the physiology and medicine awards on the day, the Nobel committee will announce the winners of the physics prize on the 8th, the chemistry prize on the 9th, the literature prize on the 10th, the peace prize on the 11th, and the economics prize on the 14th. As usual, the award ceremonies are expected to take place in Stockholm, Sweden (physiology, physics, chemistry, literature and economy) and Oslo, Norway (peace prize) on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel.
JENNIFER KIM
US ASIA JOURNAL
