The 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded for the development of optogenetics / Three scientists will share the prize

The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was jointly awarded to researchers Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel, for discoveries concerning light-activated ion channels and optogenetics. The announcement was made on Monday, October 5, and opens this year's Nobel Prize schedule.

The three researchers received the distinction for contributions that laid the foundation for the development of optogenetics, a method that enables the activity of certain cells to be controlled using light. The technology has become an important tool in biomedical research, particularly for studying the nervous system.

Karl Deisseroth, affiliated with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Stanford University, Peter Hegemann, a researcher at Humboldt University of Berlin, and Georg Nagel, affiliated with the University of Würzburg, each receive one-third of the prize.

Nobel nominations are kept secret for 50 years. The process begins with proposals submitted by eligible individuals, and the candidates are evaluated for several months by committees and experts. The final decision for Medicine is made by a vote of the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet, consisting of 50 members.

The Physics Prize will be announced on October 6, the Chemistry Prize on October 7, and the awards for Literature, Peace, and Economic Sciences will be announced by October 12. The award ceremony traditionally takes place on December 10.