The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for their discoveries concerning light-gated ion channels and optogenetics.
The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet announced the laureates on Monday, October 5, 2026.
The trio were recognised for pioneering work that led to optogenetics, a technique that enables scientists to control the activity of individual nerve cells in the living brain using light.
According to the Nobel Assembly, Hegemann and Nagel discovered channelrhodopsin, a light-sensitive protein found in single-celled algae, while Deisseroth later transformed the discovery into a light-controlled switch for nerve cells.
The technique has enabled researchers to investigate how neural circuits influence memories, feelings and behaviour and is now widely used in neuroscience research.
More details to follow.
