Two Americans Win Nobel Prize in Medicine for microRNA Discovery
2024-10-08
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1Two Americans have won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of genetic material called microRNA.
2Victor Ambros is a professor at the University of Massachusetts and Gary Ruvkun is a Harvard University professor.
3The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute, a group of 50 professors, decided to award the two for identifying genetic molecules that help control how genes work.
4The Nobel Assembly said the discovery is "proving to be fundamentally important for how organisms develop and function."
5In explaining the importance of the work, the group said it "revealed a completely new principle of gene regulation that turned out to be essential for multicellular organisms, including humans."
6RNA takes genetic information from DNA through a process called transcription.
7RNA then becomes involved in protein production or other activities within the cell.
8Ambros and Ruvkun found that microRNA, or very short chains of molecules, are needed for normal genetic development.
9The committee said changes in the way that microRNA functions can lead to major genetic changes, or mutations, over time.
10Nobel's website said the changes can lead to diseases such as cancer, diabetes and autoimmune diseases.
11Ambros carried out research that helped lead to the discovery at Harvard University.
12Ruvkun researched at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
13At first, Ambros and Ruvkun were interested in genes that control when genetic developments take place.
14These developments ensure that different kinds of cells develop at the right time.
15The scientists studied the genetic material of a one-millimeter-long worm C. elegans which is commonly used for research.
16They studied two mutant strains of worms that displayed defects in the timing of activation of genetic programs during development.
17They wanted to identify the mutated genes in the worms and what the genes did.
18After some time, they finally found that microRNA controlled the mutation.
19They also believe that this mutation has permitted organisms to change, or evolve, over hundreds of millions of years.
20Dr. Claire Fletcher is a cancer researcher with Imperial College London.
21Fletcher said the discovery of microRNA has opened new ways for treating cancer.
22Fletcher said that microRNA provides genetic instructions that tell cells to make new proteins.
23"MicroRNA alters how genes in the cell work," said Fletcher, who is not associated with the Nobel prize.
24"We can take a microRNA that we know alters the activity of that gene and we can deliver that particular microRNA to cancer cells to stop that mutated gene from having its effect," Fletcher added.
25Last year's Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology was also awarded for developments related to RNA.
26Hungarian-American Katalin Karikó and American Drew Weissman were recognized for discoveries that enabled messenger RNA, or mRNA, vaccines for COVID-19.
27The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is valued at about $1 million.
28Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel established the Nobel Prizes to recognize important discoveries that have aided humanity.
29Thomas Perlmann is the Secretary-General of the Nobel Committee.
30He said it took a long time before Ruvkun came to the phone, but he was "happy, when he understood what it was all about."
31I'm Mario Ritter, Jr.
1Two Americans have won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of genetic material called microRNA. 2Victor Ambros is a professor at the University of Massachusetts and Gary Ruvkun is a Harvard University professor. 3The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute, a group of 50 professors, decided to award the two for identifying genetic molecules that help control how genes work. 4The Nobel Assembly said the discovery is "proving to be fundamentally important for how organisms develop and function." 5In explaining the importance of the work, the group said it "revealed a completely new principle of gene regulation that turned out to be essential for multicellular organisms, including humans." 6RNA and microRNA 7RNA takes genetic information from DNA through a process called transcription. RNA then becomes involved in protein production or other activities within the cell. 8Ambros and Ruvkun found that microRNA, or very short chains of molecules, are needed for normal genetic development. The committee said changes in the way that microRNA functions can lead to major genetic changes, or mutations, over time. Nobel's website said the changes can lead to diseases such as cancer, diabetes and autoimmune diseases. 9Ambros carried out research that helped lead to the discovery at Harvard University. Ruvkun researched at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. 10Early research 11At first, Ambros and Ruvkun were interested in genes that control when genetic developments take place. These developments ensure that different kinds of cells develop at the right time. 12The scientists studied the genetic material of a one-millimeter-long worm C. elegans which is commonly used for research. They studied two mutant strains of worms that displayed defects in the timing of activation of genetic programs during development. They wanted to identify the mutated genes in the worms and what the genes did. 13After some time, they finally found that microRNA controlled the mutation. They also believe that this mutation has permitted organisms to change, or evolve, over hundreds of millions of years. 14Dr. Claire Fletcher is a cancer researcher with Imperial College London. Fletcher said the discovery of microRNA has opened new ways for treating cancer. 15Fletcher said that microRNA provides genetic instructions that tell cells to make new proteins. "MicroRNA alters how genes in the cell work," said Fletcher, who is not associated with the Nobel prize. 16"We can take a microRNA that we know alters the activity of that gene and we can deliver that particular microRNA to cancer cells to stop that mutated gene from having its effect," Fletcher added. 17Last year's Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology was also awarded for developments related to RNA. Hungarian-American Katalin Karikó and American Drew Weissman were recognized for discoveries that enabled messenger RNA, or mRNA, vaccines for COVID-19. 18The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is valued at about $1 million. Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel established the Nobel Prizes to recognize important discoveries that have aided humanity. 19Thomas Perlmann is the Secretary-General of the Nobel Committee. He said it took a long time before Ruvkun came to the phone, but he was "happy, when he understood what it was all about." 20I'm Mario Ritter, Jr. 21Daniel Niemann, Mike Corder and Maria Cheng reported this story for the Associated Press. Mario Ritter, Jr. adapted it for VOA Learning English. 22_______________________________________________ 23Words in This Story 24fundamentally -adv. forming the most basic or important part of something 25function -n. the job that something does 26principle -n. a fact or law of nature that explains how something works 27essential -adj. very important 28alter -v. to change 29We want to hear from you. 30Our comment policy is here.