Episode 25 - Nobel Prize Winner Victor Ambros on MicroRNAs and the Infinite Unfolding of Scientific Discovery

Victor Ambros, a Nobel Prize winner for his work on nematodes and microRNA, joins host Chloe Aftel on The Other Pod for an exciting conversation on the joys of scientific discovery. The pair discuss his work and research, as well as his childhood and his father's fascinating life story escaping Nazi Germany. Victor describes his work with passion and devotion to his research and field of study as well as life itself. Highlights:

• The key insights and collaborative nature that enabled the groundbreaking discoveries in C. elegans research;
• Victor's love and devotion for his wife and scientific partner Rosalind Lee, how their relationship worked at home with kids and leading their lab research, and the impact of family on his career;
• Viktor's reflections on the ethical considerations of genetic research and the impact of this work on understanding human diseases.

About:Victor Ambros is a renowned molecular biologist and a pioneer in the field of RNA biology. He is best known for his discovery of microRNAs, small RNA molecules that regulate gene expression. Ambros, along with his colleague Gary Ruvkun, identified the first microRNA, lin-4, in the early 1990s, which marked a revolutionary finding in the understanding of gene regulation. He has made significant contributions to the study of RNA-mediated gene regulation in development, aging, and disease. Ambros is a professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and has received numerous accolades for his groundbreaking work, including the Nobel Prize in Physiology in 2024.Chloe Aftel has spent her career working in commercial photography, photojournalism, and film. She’s an established name in modern photography with work featured in The New York Times, Mother Jones, Playboy, Dazed & Confused, Vogue Germany, The Hollywood Reporter, The Wall Street Journal, Vogue Italia, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, Teen Vogue & more. Chloe has photographed victims of sexual violence, reported on Covid’s impact on the trans community, and gained access as the first reporter in the Covid wards of the West Coast’s hardest hit hospitals. She has covered underground abortion providers, the impact of gender pronouns on daily life, and clergy abuse. Her first book, “Outside and In Between,” is an award-winning anthology covering gender non-conforming people across America. 
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