# German and US scientists win Nobel Prize 2026

> German and US scientists win Nobel Prize 2026 for light-gated brain research.
- Title: German and US scientists win Nobel Prize 2026 · Dw | Shortify
- Summary: German and US scientists win Nobel Prize 2026 for light-gated brain research. Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel win 2026 Nobel Prize in…
- Keywords: karl deisseroth, peter hegemann, georg nagel, optogenetics, nobel prize, neuroscience, light-gated ion channels, medicine, news, world, politics, German
- Source: Dw — https://dw.com/en/german-and-us-scientists-win-nobel-prize-in-medicine/a-79544130?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: karl deisseroth, peter hegemann, georg nagel, optogenetics, nobel prize, neuroscience, light-gated ion channels, medicine, news, world, politics
## Nobel Prize 2026 winners
The Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine 2026 has gone to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel.
## Optogenetics breakthrough
They won for discoveries concerning light-gated ion channels and optogenetics, which combines optics and genetics to create noninvasive neural stimulation.
## Brain impact
The Nobel Assembly said optogenetics has fundamentally altered our understanding of the brain, revealing neural circuits for specific memories, feelings, and behaviors relevant for neurological and psychiatric disorders.
## Clinical applications
Researchers use optogenetics to restore sight in people with visual impairment and hope it leads to treatments for Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, and other neurological disorders.
## Winners' backgrounds
Hegemann is a professor of neuroscience at Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany. Nagel is a biophysicist at University of Würzburg, Germany. Deisseroth is a professor at Stanford University in the US.
## How optogenetics works
Hegemann explored how green algae swim toward light. He and Nagel discovered a protein that opens a channel when illuminated by blue light. Deisseroth created a light-controlled switch for nerve cells in mice brains.
## Key takeaway

Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel win 2026 Nobel Prize in medicine for light-gated ion channels and optogenetics.