Nobel medicine prize goes to 3 scientists for research into brain activity

Three scientists were awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their groundbreaking research in optogenetics, a technique that allows precise control over neural activity using light. The winners are Karl Deisseroth, a professor at Stanford University in the United States, Peter Hegemann, a professor at Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany, and Georg Nagel, a professor at the University of Würzburg, also in Germany. Their work has enabled researchers to activate or suppress specific neurons with light, offering unprecedented insight into how the brain controls emotions, behavior, and bodily functions. The Nobel Committee announced the award on October 5, stating that the laureates were recognized for their discovery of "light-gated ion channels and optogenetics." This technology, which uses proteins sensitive to light to manipulate neuronal activity, has transformed neuroscience by allowing direct observation of how individual neurons contribute to complex behaviors. Optogenetics originated from studies of light-sensitive algae, where Hegemann and Nagel identified the protein channelrhodopsin in the early 2000s. This protein opens ion channels in response to blue light, generating electrical signals within cells. Deisseroth later applied this discovery to mammalian neurons, demonstrating in 2005 that light could trigger neural activity in mice, and in 2007, he successfully controlled neural circuits in living animals. The technique is now widely used in research on memory, emotion, pain, and more, with applications extending beyond the brain to study interactions between organs and the nervous system. It has even been explored for treating conditions like retinal degeneration. The prize money totals 12 million Swedish kronor, divided equally among the three recipients.