Three scientists win Nobel Prize for controlling brain cells with light

Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel have been awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, ScienceDaily Mind & Brain reported. The researchers were recognized for their work on light-gated ion channels and optogenetics, a method that allows scientists to switch specific brain cells on and off using light. [1][4][8]

The development of optogenetics originated from discoveries made in microscopic algae. ScienceDaily Mind & Brain reported that Peter Hegemann, a researcher at Humboldt University of Berlin, contributed to uncovering how light-sensitive proteins operate. Researchers subsequently applied these biological mechanisms to control neuronal activity in animal models. [1]

Optogenetics has allowed researchers to manipulate specific neural circuits and activate memories in laboratory studies, ScienceDaily Mind & Brain reported. The Johns Hopkins News-Letter described optogenetics as a maturing field that has transformed neuroscientific research techniques. The methodology is currently being explored for potential clinical applications, including the treatment of brain disorders and the restoration of vision. [1][4]

Karl Deisseroth serves as a professor of bioengineering and psychiatry at Stanford University. The Nobel Prizes were established in accordance with the will of Alfred Nobel and were first awarded in 1901. The category of physiology or medicine represents one of the original five award fields created by the Nobel Foundation. [7][8]