The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to U.S. scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their groundbreaking discovery of microRNA and its crucial role in gene regulation. The Nobel Assembly of Sweden’s Karolinska Institute Medical University announced the recipients on Monday.
The prize includes a sum of 11 million Swedish crowns (approximately $1.1 million) and marks the beginning of the Nobel Prize announcements, with other categories set to be revealed in the coming days.
Historical Context of the Nobel Prizes
Established by the will of Alfred Nobel, the Swedish inventor of dynamite, the Nobel Prizes have recognized significant contributions to science, literature, and peace since their inception in 1901. The only exception is the Peace Prize, which is awarded in Oslo, reflecting the historical political union between Sweden and Norway at the time of Nobel’s will.
Last year, the Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman for their pivotal work that led to the development of COVID-19 vaccines.
Notable past winners of the Nobel Medicine Prize include Ivan Pavlov, known for his work on conditioned reflexes, and Alexander Fleming, who shared the prize in 1945 for the discovery of penicillin.
The prestigious awards will be formally presented to the laureates on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death, with celebrations held in Stockholm, followed by a banquet. The Peace Prize winner will also be honored on the same day in Oslo.