On 5 October, the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was jointly awarded to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel — for discoveries relating to light-controlled ion channels and optogenetics. This was announced by the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute.
Briefly about the main points
- The 2026 Prize in Medicine was awarded to three researchers in the field of optogenetics.
- Hegemann and Nagel discovered the light-sensitive protein channelrhodopsin.
- Deissert demonstrated how light can be used to control a nerve signal.
- The winners will share the 12 million Swedish kronor equally.
The discovery that made cells sensitive to light
Peter Hegemann і Georg Nagel They discovered channelrhodopsin in the single-celled alga Chlamydomonas. It is a light-sensitive protein: when exposed to blue light, it opens a channel through which charged ions pass, generating an electrical signal within the cell.
It is precisely this property that formed the basis for a method enabling the control of cellular activity using light. The Nobel Committee recognised the discoveries relating to such light-controlled ion channels and optogenetics.
How optogenetics helps us study the brain
Karl Deissrot He introduced the channelrhodopsin gene into rat neurons and demonstrated that light could be used to trigger a nerve signal. The study was published in 2005, and in 2007 the method was applied to the brains of live mice.
Optogenetics enables specific nerve cells or their circuits to be selectively activated or deactivated at a precisely defined moment. According to the Karolinska Institute, this enables researchers to investigate the causal links between neuronal activity, memories, emotions and behaviour.
The premium fund and the prospects for the method
The three laureates will each receive one-third of the prize. The prize fund totals 12 million Swedish kronor — approximately 1.2 million dollars — so, if divided equally, each winner will receive 4 million kronor, subject to any tax liabilities.
According to the Karolinska Institute, optogenetics is also being investigated in the context of potential vision restoration in cases of visual impairment. At the same time, these areas are still being explored, whilst the method itself has already become an important tool in fundamental neuroscience.
