Andrew Z. Fire, a professor in Stanford University School of Medicine’s Department of Pathology and Genetics, and Craig C. Mello, professor of Molecular Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, have won this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for uncovering the mechanism of RNA interference.

Fire and Mello made their discoveries in the nematode. They investigated whether double-stranded RNAs might be the trigger for suppression of petunia pigmentation genes. They found that just a few molecules were sufficient for wiping out gene expression.

RNAi has grown into an extremely powerful tool and has been applied not only to uncovering gene function in many other organisms, but also to understanding and potentially treating human diseases. The revolution has created a new sector in the biotechnology industry.