Genetic Mechanisms Controlling Developmental Timing in C. Elegans

to

Victor Ambros, PhD

Principal Investigator

Silverman Professor of Natural Sciences Program in Molecular Medicine

UMass Chan Medical School

Victor.Ambros@umassmed.edu

Website

Nobel Laureate Victor Ambros earned his undergraduate degree in 1975, his doctorate in 1979 and completed his postdoctoral fellowship in 1983, all at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. During graduate school, he worked with David Baltimore, PhD, a co-recipient of the 1975 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discoveries related to the interaction between tumor viruses and genetic material of the cell. In Dr. Baltimore’s lab, Ambros studied the poliovirus genome structure and replication. Ambros then conducted his postdoctoral research in the lab of H. Robert Horvitz, who shared the 2002 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his research related to genetic regulation of organ development and programmed cell death. Ambros’ research in Dr. Horvitz’s lab focused on genetic pathways that directed the developmental timing in C. elegans. After Ambros completed his fellowship, he continued his research as a faculty member at Harvard University (1984-1992), Dartmouth College and Dartmouth Medical School (1992-2008), and the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (2008-present).

Ambros was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2007 and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences in 2011. He has received numerous honors for his scientific achievements including the Lasker Award and the Gairdner Foundation International Award in 2008; the Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research in 2012; the Keio Medical Science Award in 2013; the Wolf Prize, Gruber Genetics Prize and Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences (shared) in 2014; and the Prize in Developmental Biology from the March of Dimes (shared) in 2016. Ambros was awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for his co-discovery of microRNA, short single-stranded RNA molecules that are now understood to play critical roles in post-transcriptional gene regulation. 

In 2008, H. Scott Silverman and his father Jeffrey L. Silverman endowed the Silverman Chair in Natural Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School to honor Ambros. The endowment symbolizes the Silvermans’ enthusiasm for Ambros’ work and comes from a longtime friendship formed in 1997 when the younger Silverman completed his honors research thesis under Ambros’ guidance at Dartmouth College.

Summary

Genetic studies using the experimental animal Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) have identified a gene regulatory network (GRN) involving microRNAs, RNA-binding proteins, transcription factors, and other regulatory molecules that control the timing and progression of cell fates during larval development. Certain properties of this C. elegansdevelopmental timing GRN (also referred to as the ‘heterochronic gene cascade’) enable robust cell fate specification during development in the face of physiological stresses. The C. elegans heterochronic gene cascade contains evolutionarily conserved microRNA-target interactions that play essential roles in mammals, including humans, in both normal physiology and disease contexts.

Presentation Objectives:

  1. To discuss some of the compelling questions and unknowns about the genetic control of animal development.
  2. To appreciate the importance of experimental organisms (‘model’ organisms) for uncovering fundamental biological principles and molecular mechanisms.
  3. To better understand the roles of microRNA/Argonaute complexes within gene regulatory networks controlling animal development.
  4. To consider the importance of human genetics in efforts to understand neurodevelopmental disorders and microRNA/Argonaute molecular mechanisms.

https://videocast.nih.gov/watch=57102

This page was last updated on Friday, November 14, 2025