The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to American scientist Karl Deisseroth and German researchers Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for their discoveries involving light-activated ion channels and the development of optogenetics. The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet announced the laureates on Monday, marking the opening of the 2026 Nobel Prize announcements.
The three scientists were recognized for discoveries that established the scientific foundations of optogenetics — a technology that allows researchers to use light to control specific cells, particularly nerve cells. Their work has transformed the study of the brain by enabling scientists to identify and investigate neural circuits involved in functions such as movement, learning, memory, fear and addiction.
The Nobel Committee said optogenetic technology has allowed researchers to uncover neural circuits that control specific memories, emotions and behaviors associated with neurological and psychiatric disorders. Optogenetics combines genetic techniques with light-based stimulation to activate or inhibit selected cells with a high degree of precision.
The technology has opened new avenues for understanding how the brain works and how disruptions in specific neural circuits may contribute to disease. Researchers are also exploring potential clinical applications. In the field of vision, optogenetic approaches are being investigated as a possible way to restore sight in people with certain forms of severe visual impairment.
The research could also contribute to future approaches for neurological and sensory disorders, although many potential medical applications remain under investigation. The Nobel Committee said optogenetics has fundamentally changed scientists’ understanding of the brain and is helping researchers address one of biology’s most complex questions: how the brain produces thoughts, feelings and behavior.
The Nobel Prize includes a diploma, a gold medal and a monetary award. The 2026 laureates will receive their prizes from King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden at a formal ceremony in Stockholm on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death in 1896.
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Mary E. Brunkow, Frederick J. Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi for discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance and the mechanisms that prevent the immune system from attacking the body’s own tissues.
