Victor Ambros wins Nobel Prize for discovery of gene-regulating microRNAs

Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun won the 2024 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for discovering microRNAs, small molecules that regulate gene expression in cells. Their research began in the late 1980s using the nematode C. elegans as a model organism. Ambros's lab identified the lin-4 gene, which produced a tiny RNA that inhibited another gene's protein production. This unexpected finding led to the realization that microRNAs play a crucial role in gene regulation, a concept that was not previously recognized. Currently, Ambros's lab is investigating mutations in Argonaute proteins linked to intellectual disabilities. They aim to understand how these mutations disrupt normal gene regulation and explore potential treatments for affected patients.