The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Peter Hegemann, Georg Nagel and Karl Deisseroth for groundbreaking contributions that led to the development of optogenetics, a technology that has transformed the way scientists study the brain.
The work began with the discovery of channelrhodopsin, a light-sensitive protein found in single-celled algae. Hegemann and Nagel’s research demonstrated that the protein reacts to blue light by opening a channel through which charged particles can pass, producing an electrical response inside cells.
Building on this discovery, Deisseroth developed a method to use light to control the activity of nerve cells. In 2005, he introduced the gene responsible for channelrhodopsin into rat neurons and demonstrated that exposure to blue light could activate the cells and generate nerve signals.
The technique was subsequently applied to the brains of living mice, demonstrating its potential for investigating neural activity in real-time.
HOW OPTOGENETICS CHANGED BRAIN RESEARCH
Optogenetics combines genetics and light to control selected groups of neurons. Scientists can use the method to activate or suppress specific nerve cells and observe how changes in neural activity affect behaviour and brain functions.
The technology has become an important research tool for studying processes linked to memory, emotions, movement and behaviour. It has also contributed to research into neurological and psychiatric conditions by allowing scientists to examine individual circuits within the brain with unprecedented precision.
The Nobel Committee said the discoveries had fundamentally transformed neuroscience and created new possibilities for understanding how the brain works.
The award recognises decades of research that began with the study of a light-sensitive protein in microscopic organisms and ultimately led to a technology capable of manipulating neural circuits in living animals.
The three laureates will jointly receive the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, along with the prize money of 12 million Swedish kronor.