The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded for the invention of optogenetics
The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel "for their discoveries of light-gated ion channels and optogenetics."
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded for the invention of optogenetics
The laureates of the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine are Karl Deisseroth (Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Stanford University, USA), Peter Hegemann (Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany), and Georg Nagel (University of Würzburg, Germany). It is stated that the prize was awarded "for discoveries of light-gated ion channels and optogenetics."
"The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded for optogenetics — a method that allows showing how nerve cells in the living brain shape memory, emotion, and behavior. Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel discovered a unique protein, channelrhodopsin, in single-celled algae. Karl Deisseroth then turned this protein into a light-controlled switch for nerve cells. The laureates founded a new era in neurobiology," the Nobel Committee noted.
"This method of controlling nerve signals using light is today called optogenetics, and it has rapidly gained popularity worldwide. Using optogenetics, researchers have succeeded in identifying the neural circuits responsible for specific memories, emotions, and behavioral patterns associated with neurological and psychiatric disorders. In clinical medicine, this method is being used in research aimed at restoring vision in people with visual impairment," the report says.
In 2025, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Mary Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi "for discoveries concerning peripheral immunological tolerance."
"Nobel Week" traditionally begins with the announcement of the laureates in the field of physiology or medicine. The winners in physics will be announced on October 6, chemistry on October 7, and literature on October 8. The winner of the Peace Prize will be announced on October 9. The Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, established by the Bank of Sweden in 1969, will find its owners on October 12.