Karl Deisseroth
In short
Karl Deisseroth is an American scientist and physician who was awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He is in the news today because he, along with Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel, won the prize for his pioneering work in optogenetics.
Who they are now
He is the D.H. Chen Foundation Professor of Bioengineering and a professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at Stanford University. He is a leading figure in the field of neuroscience.
Why they are in the news
People are searching for him because he was announced as one of the winners of the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discoveries in optogenetics.
An example of their work
He developed optogenetics, a technique that uses light to control specific neurons in a living brain. This breakthrough allows researchers to turn brain cells on and off with high precision.
Sources
- Karl Deisseroth
- Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann Georg Nagel awarded Nobel Medicine Prize: Who are they? Know their research fields
- Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, Georg Nagel win 2026 Nobel medicine prize
- Nobel Prize in Medicine 2026 goes to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for optogenetics