The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Peter Hegemann, Georg Nagel, and Karl Deisseroth for their discoveries leading to optogenetics.

Hegemann and Nagel discovered channelrhodopsin, a light-sensitive protein found in a single-celled alga. Deisseroth later introduced this protein into nerve cells, allowing scientists to control nerve activity using blue light.

Optogenetics has transformed neuroscience by helping researchers understand how the brain controls memories, feelings, and behaviours. It is also being explored for treating neurological and psychiatric disorders and restoring vision.