Victor Ambros

Discovered the first known microRNAs (miRNA). Pioneered the discovery of a universe of small RNAs that regulate genes important for development, control of cell proliferation, and the distinction between totipotent and differentiated cells. Analysis of the lin-4 and lin-14 3? untranslated region (UTR) sequences detected complementarity between the two RNAs, supporting the model that the lin-4 miRNA directly binds to the lin-14 miRNA 3? UTR to down-regulate its expression. Validated and extended the model, showing that the translational control of lin-14 occurs at a post-initiation step.