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Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel Win 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine
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CNBC TV18•05-10-2026, 15:40
Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel Win 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine
- •The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is awarded to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for pioneering optogenetics.
- •Their groundbreaking work allows scientists to control individual nerve cells using pulses of light, transforming neuroscience research.
- •Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel discovered channelrhodopsin, a light-sensitive protein found in single-celled green algae.
- •Karl Deisseroth successfully introduced the channelrhodopsin gene into nerve cells, demonstrating that light could trigger nerve signals in living mice by 2007.
- •The technique enables researchers to study how specific brain circuits influence memories, feelings, behavior, and potential treatments for neurological disorders.
Key Questions Answered
The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel for discovering light-gated ion channels and laying the foundation for optogenetics.
Optogenetics involves introducing the gene for a light-sensitive protein, such as channelrhodopsin, into nerve cells so researchers can switch individual cells on or off using pulses of light.
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi for their discoveries regarding peripheral immune tolerance.
