"AI's answers are merely a starting point for the next question."
Craig C. Mello, a Nobel Prize winner in Physiology or Medicine in 2006 and a professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, summarized the attitude researchers should adopt in the age of AI with this statement.
Pukyong National University hosted a lecture by Professor Mello on September 18 in celebration of its 80th anniversary.
His talk, titled 'RNAi: A Molecular Spark in an Information Inferno,' was part of the 'Nobel Prize Dialogue Seoul 2026,' co-hosted by the Korean Academy of Science and Technology and Nobel Prize Outreach. The event is set to take place in Seoul on September 20.
In an interview before the lecture, Professor Mello discussed the changes AI could bring to research and education.
He identified speed and precision as AI's greatest strengths, noting its ability to analyze vast amounts of data quickly and detect subtle differences that are often imperceptible to the human eye.
However, he emphasized that AI should be viewed as a tool to help researchers ask sharper questions. He cautioned against blindly trusting AI-generated results, sharing that he often disagrees with AI responses and finds himself asking follow-up questions or challenging the answers.
Mello believes that the responsibility for final judgments and rigorous verification must remain solely with the researcher, as errors or gaps can occur in AI outputs.
He opposed educational methods that restrict students' use of AI, stating, "I think it is a big mistake to tell students not to use AI." He argued that the ability to interact safely and effectively with AI will become an essential skill for researchers in the future.
During the lecture, Professor Mello recounted the discovery of RNA interference (RNAi) and its journey into the field of medicine.
The research on RNAi did not initially aim at developing therapies. He and Andrew Fire stumbled upon the phenomenon where double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) suppressed the expression of specific genes while experimenting with the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans.
This phenomenon, known as 'gene silencing,' prevents specific genetic information from leading to protein production.
Mello detailed the research backstory, recalling how they observed unexpected gene suppression during experiments involving DNA injection into animals, and noted that injecting RNA produced an even stronger suppression effect.
The findings were published in the journal Nature in 1998, but even the researchers did not fully understand the underlying mechanisms at that time.
Reflecting on the 1998 paper, Mello said, "At the time of the publication, we did not know exactly how it worked. We could not identify which genes were involved or the specific mechanisms."
Nevertheless, their determination to follow up on the unexpected experimental results ultimately led to the elucidation of RNAi's mechanisms, earning them the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2006.
Mello used this dramatic process to illustrate that basic research involving small organisms or experiments without immediate applications can lead to innovations that transform medicine in the long run.
He stated, "Scientists must constantly awaken their curiosity," emphasizing the importance of believing that, despite potential failures, challenges can lead to answers and solutions.
Mello identified medicine as the field most significantly impacted by RNAi, explaining that RNA technology could be applied to a wide range of treatments, from those accessible to many to precision medicines targeting rare genetic diseases.
Research is also ongoing in the field of immunology. Mello noted that siRNA is relatively easy to access by immune cells, and clinical and preclinical studies are being conducted in areas such as cancer immunotherapy and immune system regulation.
In non-medical fields, he cited agriculture as an example, stating, "RNA interference is a phenomenon found in plants and all animals," suggesting that related research and applications could expand across various sectors, including agriculture.
He mentioned that his research interests have not significantly changed since receiving the Nobel Prize, saying, "I am still interested in the fundamental question of how living organisms use and process information."
Following the award, he noted that Massachusetts has made significant investments to connect RNA research to actual therapies, expanding research teams and infrastructure.
Mello expressed positive impressions of the young people he met in Seoul and Busan, stating, "There are many young people who are truly passionate about science."
He encouraged aspiring researchers to maintain their curiosity and embrace challenges, reiterating, "Scientists must constantly awaken their curiosity," and stressing the importance of believing that answers can be found and problems can be solved through perseverance.
Professor Mello earned his Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Brown University in 1982 and his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1990. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and has been a professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School since 1995.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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