The Nobel Prize in medicine was awarded Monday to Americans Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their discovery of microRNA, a fundamental principle governing how gene activity is regulated. The Nobel Assembly said their discovery is "proving to be fundamentally important for how organisms develop and function," per the AP.
- Per the committee: "The information stored within our chromosomes can be likened to an instruction manual for all cells in our body. Every cell contains the same chromosomes, so every cell contains exactly the same set of genes and exactly the same set of instructions." But different cell types have different characteristics, per CNN, and the scientists dove into how those come to be. "The answer lies in gene regulation, which allows each cell to select only the relevant instructions. This ensures that only the correct set of genes is active in each cell type."
- Ambros performed the research that led to his prize at Harvard University. He is currently a professor of natural science at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
- Ruvkun's research was performed at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard Medical School, where he's a professor of genetics. Thomas Perlmann, Secretary-General of the Nobel Committee, said he spoke to Ruvkun by phone shortly before the announcement. "It took a long time before he came to the phone and sounded very tired, but he quite rapidly, was quite excited and happy, when he understood what it was all about."
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
