American scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun have been jointly awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology for their groundbreaking discovery of microRNA (miRNA) and its role in regulating gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institutet announced the award on Monday morning, honoring the pair's pioneering research.

Ambros, based at Harvard University, and Ruvkun, conducting similar research at Massachusetts General Hospital, independently studied miRNA before collaborating to expand understanding of this critical molecule. Their discovery has opened new avenues in gene regulation, with wide-reaching implications for developmental biology, cellular physiology, and disease treatment.

Nobel Committee vice-chair Professor Olle Kämpe hailed the discovery of miRNA as a "tiny molecule that has opened a new field in gene regulation," explaining its importance in processes such as embryonic development and the physiological functions of cells. He also noted that disruptions in miRNA networks are linked to diseases like cancer, where tumors often exploit these networks to promote growth.

"This seminal discovery has introduced a new and unexpected mechanism of gene regulation," Kämpe said during the announcement.

The Nobel Prize in Medicine is the first of three major science prizes to be awarded this week, with the physics laureate set to be announced on Tuesday, followed by the chemistry prize on Wednesday. Ambros and Ruvkun's discovery of miRNA is expected to continue shaping future research in gene expression and disease treatment.

The Nobel Prize in Medicine is the 115th award of its kind since the prize’s inception, recognizing contributions that have profoundly impacted medical and physiological sciences.