Three scientists win Nobel Prize for brain-control technique
Three neuroscientists won the Nobel Prize in medicine for discovering how to switch nerve cells on and off using light.
Three neuroscientists have won the 2026 Nobel Prize in medicine for discovering how to switch nerve cells on and off using light, a breakthrough called optogenetics. Karl Deisseroth works at Stanford University in California, while Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel are based at universities in Germany.
The discovery began when Hegemann studied green algae that moves toward light. Hegemann and Nagel found a protein that opens a cell channel when hit by blue light.
Deisseroth then inserted the gene controlling that protein into mouse brain cells, creating a light-controlled switch for nerve activity. The technique is now used worldwide to map how brain circuits work and understand disease pathways.
- 54
- Karl Deisseroth age
- 71
- Peter Hegemann age
- 73
- Georg Nagel age
Why it mattersOptogenetics lets scientists see which brain circuits control behaviour and disease. The discovery opens a new era in neuroscience research.
AustraliaNo direct Australian effect yet, but Australian neuroscience labs may now use this Nobel-backed method to accelerate brain research into local health priorities.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
Open this story in InSnip →
