Nobel Prize in Medicine 2024: Top 5 Contenders and Winners

Let’s start with our contender number 5, Davor Solter & Azim Surani.

Davor Solter and Azim Surani’s work has focused on genomic imprinting—a phenomenon in which certain genes are expressed in a parent-of-origin-specific manner. In other words, some genes are only active when inherited from the mother, while others are only active when inherited from the father. Their discovery of genomic imprinting has revolutionized our understanding of epigenetics—the study of how environmental factors can influence gene expression without altering the DNA sequence. This has profound implications for understanding developmental disorders, cancer, and even aging.

Solter and Surani’s research is crucial because it helps explain how identical genetic material can result in different outcomes depending on its parental origin. Their work has led to insights into diseases like Prader-Willi syndrome and Angelman syndrome, both of which are caused by faulty genomic imprinting. By unlocking the secrets of how genes are regulated, Solter and Surani have provided us with tools to better understand mammalian development and potential therapies for genetic diseases.

Contenders number 4 on our list are Ann M. Graybiel, Okihide Hikosaka, & Wolfram Schultz for Unlocking the Secrets of the Brain’s Basal Ganglia.

Our fourth group of contenders—Ann M. Graybiel, Okihide Hikosaka, and Wolfram Schultz—are being recognized for their extensive work on the brain’s basal ganglia, a group of nuclei central to motor control and behavior. Their research has provided critical insights into how the basal ganglia contribute to learning, habit formation, and even decision-making. For example, they discovered how this part of the brain interacts with the dopamine system, helping to explain the neural circuits involved in behaviors like reward-seeking and addiction.

This work is essential for understanding diseases like Parkinson’s and Huntington’s, which affect motor control. But beyond movement, their research has also shown how the basal ganglia are involved in mental health conditions like OCD and depression. Their findings have implications for a range of therapies designed to restore balance to the brain’s reward systems. By shedding light on one of the most complex systems in the brain, Graybiel, Hikosaka, and Schultz have made a lasting impact on both neuroscience and medicine.

The Contender number 3 on our list are Jonathan C. Cohen & Helen H. Hobbs for Revolutionizing Cardiovascular Treatment.

Next on our list are Jonathan C. Cohen and Helen H. Hobbs, a research duo from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Their work has focused on the genetics of lipid metabolism, which is essential for understanding cholesterol and its role in cardiovascular diseases. Through their studies, Cohen and Hobbs uncovered genetic variations that influence cholesterol levels, identifying people at high risk for heart disease.

One of their most notable discoveries is a mutation in a gene called PCSK9, which led to the development of new drugs that lower cholesterol dramatically. These drugs are now used globally to help prevent heart attacks and strokes in people with high cholesterol levels. Their work has changed the way we treat cardiovascular disease, saving lives worldwide. By discovering how genetics can influence heart health, Cohen and Hobbs have paved the way for personalized treatments that are tailored to a patient’s genetic makeup. This vital research makes them strong contenders for the 2024 Nobel Prize.

Contender number 2 on our list was Kevan Shokat for Cracking the Code of the KRAS Cancer Gene.

Our second last contender was Kevan Shokat, an American biologist whose work could potentially save countless lives. Shokat’s research focused on the KRAS gene, a mutation found in about one-third of all cancers. This gene has been notoriously difficult to target, leading to aggressive cancers such as lung, colon, and pancreatic cancers, which are among the most challenging to treat.

For decades, researchers believed the KRAS gene was “undruggable.” But Kevan Shokat figured out a way to block this gene, paving the way for new treatments. His work is particularly important because many cancers become resistant to current therapies, making Shokat’s discovery a potential game-changer in cancer treatment. While this discovery is still in its early stages, it has opened the door to a new class of cancer drugs that could one day significantly improve survival rates for some of the deadliest forms of cancer. Shokat’s contribution to oncology puts him in a strong position as a top contender for the Nobel Prize.

And the Winner is… Victor Ambros & Gary Ruvkun!

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their revolutionary discovery of microRNAs—tiny molecules that control gene expression, allowing the same DNA to create vastly different cells in our bodies. Without their research, we wouldn’t fully understand how nerve cells, heart cells, and immune cells differ, even though they all share the same genetic code. Ambros and Ruvkun’s discovery revealed that microRNAs are like gene regulators, determining which genes get turned on or off in specific cells.

This breakthrough explained how complex organisms like humans develop, and how diverse tissues like muscles, brain cells, and blood cells all emerge from the same genetic information. Their research began with the tiny worm C. elegans, where they identified microRNAs as critical for cell development. These tiny regulators attach to messenger RNA (mRNA), preventing it from making certain proteins—effectively silencing some genes. They later found this mechanism to be a fundamental aspect of life across species, including humans.

The discovery of microRNAs has also opened doors in medical research, particularly for diseases like cancer, genetic disorders, and epilepsy. When microRNA regulation goes awry, it can lead to conditions such as DICER1 syndrome, which causes tumors in various tissues. Today, researchers are exploring ways to target microRNAs in therapies for these diseases. The Nobel Assembly described their discovery as a “new principle of gene regulation” essential for the evolution of complex life. Their pioneering work is now at the heart of genetic research, and it’s helping scientists develop treatments for some of humanity’s most challenging diseases. Ambros and Ruvkun’s discovery of microRNAs has transformed our understanding of biology and medicine. Their work not only advances science but opens new possibilities for future therapies.

Thanks for reading! Please, check out our article about a miracle drug that is enhancing human life by 25%. It also improve health by minimizing wrinkles and even reduce chances of cancer. Researchers from the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Medical Sciences and Imperial College London have made an amazing discovery that could change how we think about aging. They found that blocking a protein called IL-11 can make mice live almost 25% longer in good health. And this discovery might one day help humans too.

If you found this article helpful, don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more science updates and breakthroughs.