Deisseroth, Hegemann and Nagel Win 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine for Optogenetics
In short
The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for their work on optogenetics, a technique that uses light and genetics to control nerve cells. UPI reported the three will share $1.19 million. The Nobel Committee said optogenetics can reveal neural circuits behind memories, feelings and behaviors and is being used in attempts to restore sight.
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The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded Monday to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for work in optogenetics, according to The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and UPI. The New York Times said the prize recognized discoveries in light-gated ion channels and optogenetics. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
UPI reported that the three scientists will share a prize of $1.19 million. Hegemann, of Humboldt University of Berlin, and Nagel, of the University of Würzburg, were awarded for their discovery of a protein called channelrhodopsin in a single-celled alga, UPI said. The scientists studied how the alga, called chlamydomonas, detected and swam toward a light source, finding that channelrhodopsin opens a channel when illuminated by blue light, allowing ions to flow into the cell and create an electrical impulse, according to UPI. [ 4 ]
Deisseroth, of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Stanford University, then introduced a gene for channelrhodopsin into nerve cells of rats, making it possible to trigger a nerve signal by illuminating the cells with blue light, UPI reported. The Nobel Committee said in a release that optogenetics has allowed researchers to reveal neural circuits governing specific memories, feelings and behaviors relevant for neurological and psychiatric disorders, and that in clinical medicine researchers are using the method in attempts to restore sight in people with visual impairment. [ 4 ]
Per Svenningsson, chairman of the Nobel Committee for Physiology and Medicine, said, “Optogenetics provides opportunities for mapping the brain in a way that we could once only dream of,” according to UPI. The New York Times reported that Thomas Perlmann, secretary general of the Nobel Committee, spoke at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm on Monday. [ 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The award recognizes a research technique that the documents say allows scientists to control neurons with light, a method used to study brain circuits linked to memory and behavior and being tested in attempts to restore sight. The Nobel is an internationally recognized prize, giving the discovery and its applications broad attention.
Key facts
- The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The prize is for work on optogenetics. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The New York Times said the prize recognized discoveries in light-gated ion channels and optogenetics. [ 3 ]
- UPI reported that the three scientists will share a prize of $1.19 million. [ 4 ]
- Hegemann and Nagel were awarded for discovering the protein channelrhodopsin in a single-celled alga, according to UPI. [ 4 ]
- Deisseroth introduced a gene for channelrhodopsin into nerve cells of rats, making it possible to trigger nerve signals with blue light, UPI reported. [ 4 ]
- The Nobel Committee said optogenetics has let researchers reveal neural circuits governing memories, feelings and behaviors and is being used in attempts to restore sight in people with visual impairment. [ 4 ]
- The New York Times reported that Thomas Perlmann, secretary general of the Nobel Committee, spoke at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm on Monday. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Exact official citation wording for the prize. The documents describe the award in general terms and do not give a single official citation text.
- The nationalities of the laureates. Only UPI identifies Deisseroth as American and Hegemann and Nagel as German; the other outlets do not state nationalities.
- The prize amount of $1.19 million. Only UPI reports the amount.
- The local time of the Nobel announcement. The documents say the announcement was made Monday but do not give a clock time; the timeline entries are the outlets’ publication times.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The Wall Street Journal publishes its report that Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel share the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for optogenetics. [ 2 ]
- The New York Times publishes its report, which mentions Thomas Perlmann, secretary general of the Nobel Committee, speaking at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm on Monday. [ 3 ]
- UPI reports the three scientists will share $1.19 million and details the optogenetics research by Hegemann, Nagel and Deisseroth. [ 4 ]