Americans and Germans win 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine

-For their discoveries in optogenetics and the control of neuronal activity by light

The Nobel Committee announced on Monday that American scientist Karl Deisseroth and German scientists Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel have been awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, in recognition of their discoveries concerning light-activated ion channels and their contributions to the development of optogenetics.

The research of the three scientists contributed to the development of a technique that allows precise control of neuronal activity using light, through light-sensitive proteins that can activate or deactivate specific cells, enabling researchers to study brain functions and neural circuits with greater accuracy.

Economic News

Explore Space

Explore Data

Deisseroth works at Stanford University in California, Hegemann at Humboldt University in Berlin, and Nagel at the University of Würzburg in Germany.

The Nobel Committee stated that optogenetics has brought about a radical transformation in our understanding of the brain, allowing researchers to uncover the neural circuits that control specific memories, emotions, and behaviors, and helping to elucidate the role of certain cell types in learning, fear, addiction, and movement.

This technique is currently used in laboratories worldwide to study the mechanisms of neuronal function and the connections between neurons, as well as in research related to neurological and psychiatric disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy. Meanwhile, studies are underway to explore its potential clinical use in restoring vision for individuals with visual impairments.

The Committee noted that “optogenetics has brought about a radical change in our understanding of the brain,” adding that ongoing discoveries in this field contribute to revealing how the human brain works.

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine had been awarded to Americans Mary Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell, and Japanese scientist Shimon Sakaguchi, in recognition of their research on how the body regulates the immune system.

The 2026 Nobel Prize is worth approximately 12 million Swedish kronor, equivalent to about 1.2 million US dollars, and will be divided among the three laureates. They will receive the prize, which also includes a certificate and a gold medal, at a ceremony in Stockholm on December 10 next year, coinciding with the anniversary of the death of the prize’s founder, Alfred Nobel, in 1896.