The Nobel-winning science of optogenetics: Explained

Optogenetics has fundamentally changed human perception of the incredible human brain and its functionsThe story so far: The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, announced on Monday (October 5, 2026) went jointly to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegeman and Georg Nagel “for their discoveries concerning light-gated ion channels and optogenetics.” The prize amount of 12 million Swedish kronor, to be shared equally between the Laureates.