Three scientists win Nobel Prize for groundbreaking brain research

Karl Deisseroth of the United States, alongside Germans Gisela Hegemann and Bert Nagel, have been named recipients of the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their pioneering research in brain science.

The Nobel Assembly recognised the laureates for developing innovative techniques that have fundamentally advanced our understanding of how the brain works at the cellular and molecular levels. Their discoveries have opened new pathways for investigating neurological functions and have potential applications in treating brain-related disorders.

Deisseroth's contributions to optogenetics—a technique allowing scientists to control brain cells with light—have been instrumental in enabling researchers worldwide to map neural circuits and study their behaviour with unprecedented precision. Hegemann and Nagel's work on ion channels and their fundamental role in cellular signalling has complemented these advances, providing crucial insights into how neurons communicate.

The research conducted by these three scientists represents a watershed moment in neuroscience, offering tools and knowledge that have already influenced numerous laboratories across the globe. Their work has implications for understanding conditions ranging from neurological diseases to psychiatric disorders.

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is one of the world's most prestigious scientific honours, awarded annually by the Karolinska Institute in Sweden to researchers whose discoveries have made outstanding contributions to medicine and human health.