Nobel Prize for Medicine goes to US scientists for gene discovery

Two US scientists whose pioneering work helped discover genetic codes that could unlock early tests for killer cancer, were today awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine.

Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun were credited with finding microRNA, tiny genetic codes that controls raft of bodily functions.

One application could eventually be tests to diagnose certain cancers because microRNA becomes altered with certain diseases. 

Every cell in the human body contains the same raw genetic information, locked in our DNA.

But the pair discovered that despite starting with identical genetic information, cells in the human body use this code in wildly different ways. 

The electrical impulses of nerve cells for instance distinct from white blood cells that produce antibodies to fight infection.  

The duo's 'ground-breaking discovery' has revolutionised medicine's understanding of how our genes work inside the human body, the Nobel Assembly said.

'If gene regulation goes awry, it can lead to serious diseases such as cancer, diabetes, or autoimmunity.

'Their groundbreaking discovery revealed a completely new principle of gene regulation that turned out to be essential for multicellular organisms, including humans,' the Assembly added. 

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'It is now known that the human genome codes for over one thousand microRNAs.' 

Thomas Perlmann, secretary of the Nobel Committee, announced this year's winner at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.

He told the ceremony he had not yet reached Professor Ambros but had spoken to Professor Ruvkun by phone, waking him up early in the morning in the US.  

'His wife answered. It took a long time till he came to the phone and he was very tired,' he said, adding the molecular biologist was 'very enthusiastic'. 

Professor Ruvkun, 72, also later told Swedish public radio SR he was shocked to receive the prize committee's call in the early hours.

'It's a big deal. It's a big one. It's an earthquake,' he said. 'The dog is confused by why it's dark outside and we are running around the house.'

Professors Ambros, 70, and Ruvkun made the discovery by studying mutant strains of tiny one millimitre-long roundworms called Caenorhabditis elegans. 

Despite its small size, this worm possesses many specialized cell types, such as nerve and muscle cells, that are also found in larger, more complex animals.

It makes it a useful model for investigating how tissues develop and mature in multicellular organisms. 

The pair's work began while they were working in the same lab. 

Professor Ambros then moved to Harvard University and Ruvkun to Massachusetts General Hospital, where they continued studying the mutant strains.

Their findings were published in two articles in the journal, Cell, in 1993.

In honouring the duo this year, the Nobel committee followed its usual practice of rewarding decades-old research to ensure it stands the test of time.

Past winners in the field include a string of famous researchers, notably Alexander Fleming, who shared the 1945 prize for the discovery of penicillin.

The prizes carry a cash award of 11million Swedish kronor ($1 million). 

The money comes from a bequest left by the prize's creator, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel, who died in 1896.

The pair will receive their Nobel prize, consisting of a diploma, a gold medal and the cheque, from King Carl XVI Gustaf at a formal ceremony in Stockholm on December 10. 

This year's award is the 115th Nobel prize to be presented in physiology or medicine since 1901. Of the 229 winners, only 13 have been women. 

Last year, the Medicine Prize went to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman whose pioneering work helped create mRNA Covid vaccines. 

Before mRNA jabs were rolled out to millions of people worldwide to protect them against Covid, such technology was considered experimental. 

Researchers are now exploring if it could help beat cancer and other diseases.

The Nobel season continues this week with the announcement of the winners of the Physics Prize tomorrow and the Chemistry Prize on Wednesday.

They will be followed by the much-anticipated prizes for Literature on Thursday and Peace on Friday.

The Economics Prize winds things up on Monday, October 14.