Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine awarded to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun

Winners Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun. Ambros is currently with the University of Massachusetts Medical School; Ruvkun is at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

The prize was awarded for the discovery of microRNA "and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation." MicroRNA is a new class of RNA molecules that play an important role in gene regulation and how organisms develop and function. The microRNA, first discovered in ringworms in the 1990s, is a type of RNA molecule that helps cells regulate gene expression and control the amount and type of proteins they produce. Gene regulation tells cells how to behave. It is responsible for the differences between a muscle and nerve cell, for example. MicroRNA added a previously unknown intermediate step in the conversion of genes to proteins. Proteins are responsible for virtually every human action from breathing to talking and even thinking.

"Having a basic understanding is of course the first step towards developing applications," said Gunilla Karlsson-Hedestam, an expert in immunology and chair of the Nobel Committee. "Although there are no very clear applications available yet with microRNAs, understanding them, knowing that they exist, understanding their regulatory networks is always the first step." She added that there are several ongoing microRNA trials trying to figure out how to combat cardiovascular and kidney diseases.

Skip to end of carousel Tracking the 2024 Nobel PrizesThe Nobel Prizes shine a spotlight on some of the world's most prominent thinkers and innovators. We're tracking the 2024 Nobel Prize winners here . End of carousel Last year's winners Katalin Karikó, a Hungarian-born scientist and American Drew Weissman won in 2023 for discoveries that paved the way for the development of highly effective mRNA vaccines against covid-19 .

Next Nobel Prize to be awarded On Tuesday, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences will announce the Nobel Prize in physics.

This year's winners Today's prize was the first to be announced this year. Prizes will continue to be announced through Oct. 14. The Washington Post will be tracking winners here .