Controlling Brain Activity with Light: Laureates Announced for Nobel Prize in Medicine

Nobel Week has officially commenced in Stockholm. The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to scientists who spearheaded revolutionary breakthroughs in light-gated ion channels and optogenetics. The prestigious honor is shared among American scientist Karl Deisseroth and German researchers Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel.

According to the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel identified a unique light-sensitive protein - channelrhodopsin - in single-celled algae. Karl Deisseroth subsequently transformed this protein into a light-controlled "switch" capable of regulating the activity of nerve cells.

This discovery ushered in a brand-new era in neuroscience. The methodology of optogenetics enables researchers to observe firsthand how neural cells shape memories, emotions, and behavioral patterns within a living brain.

Among the laureates, Karl Deisseroth conducts research at Stanford University, Peter Hegemann works at Humboldt University of Berlin, and Georg Nagel is based at the University of Würzburg.

The physiology or medicine award opened this year's Nobel announcements. According to the schedule, laureates in Physics were revealed on October 6, followed by Chemistry on October 7, and Literature on October 8. The Nobel Peace Prize winner will be announced in Oslo on October 9, while the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel will be awarded on October 12.