An image of the Nobel Medal adorns the lectern on October 7, 2024, in Stockholm, Sweden. Credit – Steffen Trumpf/picture alliance—Getty Images
The 2024 Nobel Prize announcements began on Oct. 7, recognizing groundbreaking contributions to humanity.
The first prize, in the category of physiology or medicine, went to a pair of American scientists for their work in discovering microRNAs. Recipients of the Nobel Prize in physics, chemistry, literature, peace, and economic sciences will be announced over the coming week. Winners are given a medal, a personal diploma, and a cash award of about $1.1 million. Established by Alfred Nobel in 1901, past laureates have included Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
Below is a list of all of this year’s winners as they are announced.
Physiology or medicine
Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun were awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of microRNAs, a class of small molecules essential for gene regulation. Their research has uncovered how these microRNAs influence cellular behavior and contribute to various health challenges, including cancer and heart disease. As the understanding of these tiny regulators expands, so does the potential for innovative therapeutic approaches to complex medical conditions.
Read More: What to Know About MicroRNA, the Nobel-Prizewinning Discovery
Ambros and Ruvkun’s work began in the 1990s when they studied roundworms, uncovering the intricate relationship between specific genes and the regulatory role of microRNAs. This discovery revealed that microRNAs can bind to messenger RNA, influencing the production of proteins critical for cellular functions. Their findings, published in Cell in 1993, opened new avenues for understanding genetic communication within cells. Thomas Perlmann, secretary general of the Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine, called their work “truly fundamental for all physiology.”
Physics
The recipient will be announced on Tuesday.
Chemistry
The recipient will be announced on Wednesday.
Literature
The recipient will be announced on Thursday.
Peace
The recipient will be announced on Friday.
Economic sciences
The recipient will be announced on Oct. 14.
Write to Nik Popli at nik.popli@time.com.
