It became known who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine 2024

The prestigious award was given to American scientists Victor Ambros and Harry Ravkun for their outstanding contribution to microRNA research.

The Nobel Prize is one of the most important international awards. According to the will of Alfred Nobel, Swedish chemist and inventor of dynamite, the prize is awarded annually for exceptional achievements in the fields of physiology or medicine, physics, chemistry, literature and peace-building.

Representatives of the Nobel Assembly of the Karolinska Institutet emphasised that the work of Ambros and Ravkun has opened new horizons in understanding genetic regulation. Their research on microRNAs - short RNA molecules that regulate gene expression - is of great importance to biology and medicine, providing new opportunities for diagnosing and treating various diseases.

The process of selecting laureates begins with nominations from scientific institutions and public organisations. The Nobel Committee then selects the most deserving applicants and determines the winners. The statutes of the Nobel Foundation prohibit the disclosure of information about the nominees for 50 years.

Nobel Week 2024 follows the following schedule:

• 7 October - prize in physiology or medicine;
• 8 October - the prize in physics;
• 9 October - the prize in chemistry;
• 10 October - prize in literature;
• 11 October - Peace Prize;
• 14 October - Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics, established by the Bank of Sweden in 1968.

The award ceremony will traditionally take place on 10 December, the day of Alfred Nobel's memory. Laureates will receive diplomas, medals and a cash award of 11 million Swedish kronor (approximately $1.1 million).

Last year, the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded for the development of mRNA vaccines against the coronavirus, a breakthrough in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.