Three scientists received the Nobel Prize for controlling cells with light

The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel for their discovery of light-sensitive ion channels and their research into their use in optogenetics.

This was reportedby nauka.ua.

The award was presented by the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute. The laureates were announced during a live online broadcast on the official Nobel Prize website.

Their research has made it possible to study the cause-and-effect relationships between biochemical processes in the cells of the nervous system and the behavior of organisms. In particular, using these methods, scientistscan investigate processes such as the onset of thirst, sexual behavior, aggression, and the mechanisms underlying addiction.

The discovery of light-sensitive ion channels laid the foundation for the development of optogenetics—an approach that allows researchers to study the functioning of nerve cells using light.

This year’s prize marks the 117th Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

Last year, the award went to Mary Brankow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi for discoveries related to peripheral immune tolerance. In 2024, the prize was awarded to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their discovery of microRNA and its role in gene regulation. In 2023, the laureates were Katalin Karikó and Drew Weismann for their discoveries regarding nucleotide base modifications, which enabled the development of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19.

Андрій Колісніченко