Nobel prize for medicine goes to mRNA work behind covid-19 vaccines
New ScientistSep 28, 2023
US Duo Wins Nobel Prize for MicroRNA Discovery
Above: The Nobel Committee announces the winners of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine during a press conference at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, on Oct. 7, 2024. Image copyright: Atila Altuntas/Contributor/Anadolu via Getty Images
The Facts
On Monday, the Nobel Prize committee at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, awarded US scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun the 2024 Nobel Prize in Medicine for discovering microRNA and its essential role in the growth and survival of multicellular organisms.
Ambros and Ruvkun originally studied genes that regulate genetic development. The panel concluded that their study "revealed a new dimension to gene regulation, essential for all complex life forms."
The Spin
Narrative A
Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun's remarkable discovery of microRNA rightly earned them this year's Nobel Prize in Medicine. The two scientists have uncovered a new level of understanding in the development and function of multicellular organisms, including humans, with the potential to help further research about cancer and other diseases.
Narrative B
While there are multiple microRNA studies aimed at treating cancer and other diseases, any potential applications are far away. This discovery is an important step, but as cancer rates continue to rise, the best approach is to focus on disease prevention strategies. Regrettably, treatment alone will never be enough.