2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Announced: Three Pioneers in Optogenetics Awarded

The Zhitong Finance App learned that on October 5, Beijing time, the list of winners of the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was announced. Sweden's Caroline Medical School announced that the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine will be awarded to three scientists, Karl Deisseroth (Karl Deisseroth), Peter Hegemann (Peter Hegemann), and Georg Nagel (Georg Nagel), in recognition of their discoveries in light-gated ion channels and optogenetics.

According to the official Nobel Prize website, the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine will be awarded to optogenetics. It's a method that allows people to observe how nerve cells in the living brain shape memories, emotions, and behavior.

Hegman from Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany, and Nagel from the University of Würzburg, Germany, discovered an extraordinary protein in a single-celled alga — the channel purpura. Deseros from Stanford University in the US turned this protein into a light-controlled switch for nerve cells. The three Nobel Prize winners have ushered in a new era in neuroscience and laid the foundation for this new field.

According to the Nobel Prize selection agency, the three scientists' research has promoted the development of optogenetics (Optogenetics). This technology can use light signals to accurately control nerve cell activity, enabling researchers to observe how nerve cells in the living brain affect memory, mood, and behavior, and opens up a new direction for neuroscience research.

According to reports, the winners will share the prize of SEK 12 million (approximately RMB 8.02 million).