Nobel Medicine 2026 awarded for optogenetics discoveries

Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovering light-gated ion channels and optogenetics. The technique uses light to control neurons, revolutionizing brain research and offering potential treatments for blindness, depression, Parkinson's disease, and epilepsy. Each laureate shares a €1 million prize.