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Nobel Prize 2026 awarded for optogenetics research explaining how nerve cells shape feelings
Overview
US psychiatrist Karl Deisseroth and German colleagues Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel have won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their pioneering work in optogenetics. Their research uses light and a special algal protein to control cell electrical activity, revealing the neural circuits behind memories, feelings, and behaviours, and paving the way for new clinical treatments.
Key points
- Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
- The award recognises their work in optogenetics, which illuminates brain pathways to study nerve cells.
- Hegemann and Nagel discovered channelrhodopsin, an algal protein used to control cell electrical activity with light in the early 2000s.
- The method helps reveal neural circuits behind specific memories, feelings, and neurological disorders.
- Researchers are also exploring optogenetics in clinical medicine to try to restore sight in visually impaired people.
- The winners will share a £900,000 (12 million Swedish kronor) prize.