Karl Deisseroth
A Stanford psychiatrist and bioengineer who helped turn light-sensitive microbial proteins into tools for controlling selected neurons. His contribution connects molecular discovery with experiments on living neural circuits.
Peter Hegemann · Official laureate · 2026
Peter Hegemann · Optogenetics
A researcher at Humboldt University in Berlin whose studies of light-sensing algae helped uncover channelrhodopsins. He investigated how these proteins respond to light, laying a molecular foundation for optogenetics.
Contribution
Optogenetics introduces light-sensitive proteins into selected cells so light can change their activity. This lets researchers test what a neural circuit does by perturbing it, rather than only observing it. A research tool’s success does not mean a treatment is ready for routine care.
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Georg Nagel
A biophysicist associated with the University of Würzburg who helped show that channelrhodopsins act as light-gated ion channels. His electrophysiological experiments linked algal proteins to controllable electrical activity in other cells.