In October, Ambros was awarded the Nobel Prize, marking only the second time anyone from Central Massachusetts won the prestigious honor.
Ambros won the Nobel in the physiology or medicine category for his co-discovery of microRNA, short RNA molecules playing an integral role in gene regulation. Ambros shares his Nobel win with Gary Ruvkun of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Ambros, whose discovery about the impact of microRNA was tested on nematodes, said the study of laboratory organisms is fundamental to advancing understanding of biology.
His Nobel win came 18 years after UMass Chan scientist Craig Mello shared a Nobel win in the same category, also for his research into RNA. Mello’s work eventually led to a number of startups and spinoff companies out of UMass Chan, including Phio Pharmaceuticals in Marlborough and Atalanta Therapeutics in Boston.
Whether or not Ambros’ Nobel win will have the same economic impact on the Central Massachusetts business community, his work underlines the importance of the scientific research performed in the region, at a time when the federal government is working to slow the flow of public research funding to organizations like UMass Chan.
In May, Ambros was named to the TIME100 list of the most influential people in health in 2025, with the magazine citing the potentially profound impact of his work in treating disease, improving agriculture, and addressing pests.
Brad Kane is editor of the Worcester Business Journal.
