From Dw · · 1m 10s
Nobel Prize 2026 Medicine Winners
German and US scientists win Nobel Prize for brain activity research.
In brief
German and US scientists win Nobel Prize for brain activity research. Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel win 2026 Nobel Prize in medicine for light-gated ion channels and optogenetics breakthroughs. Originally reported by Dw.
Nobel Prize 2026 Announced
The Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine 2026 has gone to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel.
Optogenetics Breakthrough
They won for discoveries on light-gated ion channels and optogenetics, which uses optics and genetics to noninvasively stimulate neurons.
Brain Understanding Impact
The Nobel Assembly said optogenetics has fundamentally altered our understanding of the brain by revealing neural circuits for specific memories, feelings, and behaviors.
Clinical Applications
Researchers use optogenetics to restore sight in visual impairment and treat neurological disorders like Parkinson's disease and epilepsy.
Winners Background
Hegemann is a neuroscience professor at Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany. Nagel is a neurophysiology professor at University of Würzburg, Germany. Deisseroth is a Stanford University bioengineering and psychiatry professor.
Research Process
Hegemann explored how green algae swim toward light. He and Nagel discovered a light-sensitive protein. Deisseroth created light-controlled nerve cell switches in mice.
The takeaway
Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel win 2026 Nobel Prize in medicine for light-gated ion channels and optogenetics breakthroughs.
