Nobel Prize Honors Breakthrough in Brain Mapping Science

Mon Oct 05 2026 21:11:49 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Three scientists who pioneered optogenetics received the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, unveiling new ways to write and erase memories.

The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to US psychiatrist Karl Deisseroth and German researchers Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for creating optogenetics, a light‑controlled technique that illuminates and manipulates neuronal circuits. Their discovery of channelrhodopsin from algae and its application to live brains opened a new era of precise neural mapping, revealing the wiring behind memories, emotions and behaviour. The Nobel Assembly hailed the work as “fundamentally altering our understanding of the brain” and underscored its potential to tackle neurological disorders and restore vision. The laureates, who will share £900,000, called the award “absolutely wonderful” and reflected on the collaborative spirit that drove their research.

Nobel Prize Honors Breakthrough in Brain Mapping Science

London, 5 October 2026 – The Nobel Committee announced that Karl Deisseroth, along with German peers Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel, received the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for developing optogenetics, a technique that uses light to control neural activity.

Nobel Committee Secretary General Thomas Perlmann speaks to the media in front of a screen displaying the names of this year's laureates (L-R) Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel during the announcement of the winners of the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, on October 5, 2026. — AFP via Getty Images – The laureates posed during the announcement at the Karolinska Institute.

What is optogenetics?

Optogenetics marries a light‑sensitive protein, channelrhodopsin, discovered by Hegemann and Nagel in the early 2000s, with genetic engineering to light‑activate or silence specific neurons. Deisseroth refined the technique to turn on neuronal firing in mice by shining light on the engineered protein, allowing precise mapping of brain circuits.

The Nobel Assembly described optogenetics as "an entirely new way of probing the structure and function of neural networks" and celebrated its ability to "bring memories to life, create feelings and drive behaviours".

Clinical promise: Restoring sight

Beyond basic neuroscience, researchers are already piloting optogenetic therapy in patients with retinitis pigmentosa. By inserting channelrhodopsin into damaged retina cells and using light‑emitting glasses, early trials have helped patients regain partial vision, marking a milestone toward sight restoration.

Together in honour

The trio shared the prize money of £900,000 (about 12 million Swedish kronor) and expressed their friendship and excitement, saying the award was "absolutely wonderful".

For more on optogenetics and its future applications, visit the Nobel Prize website and follow our ongoing coverage of scientific breakthroughs.