The Nobel Prize in Medicine for 2024 was awarded to American scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their groundbreaking discovery of microRNA, a new type of genetic switch.

Although revealed decades ago, it initially received little attention as a finding of peculiar interest related to worms.

MicroRNA differs from other RNA forms as it acts as a regulatory switch to turn genes on and off, adding complexity to gene regulation.

Their work showed that more than a thousand genes in humans respond to microRNA, and it is present throughout the animal kingdom.

MicroRNAs hold promise for new medical treatments, particularly in cancer and antiviral therapies, though no treatments have yet reached the public.

Researchers are optimistic that microRNA can be pivotal in advancements such as cancer biomarkers and evolutionary studies.