2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded to discoveries in optogenetics

The 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to American scientist Karl Deisseroth and German researchers Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for their discoveries in the field of light-sensitive ion channels and optogenetics.

Selected by the Nobel Assembly of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, 54-year-old American Deisseroth, 71-year-old German Hegemann and 73-year-old German Nagel will share the prize money of 12 million Swedish krona (about $1.2 million).

THE METHOD THAT CONTROLS CELLS WITH LIGHT HAS BEEN GROUNDBREAKING IN THE MEDICAL WORLD

The Nobel Committee reported that the developed optogenetics method "makes it possible to switch on and off the activity of individual nerve cells in a living brain."

The award committee stated in its statement, "This method is now used in laboratories around the world to unravel the mysteries of the brain."

The physiology or medicine award, which traditionally forms the first ring of Nobel announcements every year; In the coming days, explanations in the fields of physics, chemistry, literature, peace and economics will follow.

Established in accordance with the will of Swedish inventor and industrialist Alfred Nobel, the five original Nobel prizes have been awarded since 1901, excluding interruptions during the First and Second World War. The sixth prize in economics was established in 1968 by the Swedish Central Bank (Riksbank).

In the past, the medical award was given to important works in the history of science, such as Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin in 1945, and Karl Landsteiner's registration in 1930 for his discovery of human blood groups.

Last year's award was won by American researchers Mary Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell and Japanese scientist Shimon Sakaguchi, who explained how the immune system protects healthy cells and opened new doors in the treatment of diseases such as cancer.

Nobel Prize winners are determined by expert committees appointed by relevant institutions.

In accordance with the tradition dating back to the union between Sweden and Norway when Alfred Nobel was preparing his will, all awards are presented in Stockholm, except for the Peace Prize, which is presented in Oslo.

The ceremonies are held on December 10, the anniversary of Nobel's death, with the participation of royal families and gala banquets.