Nobel Prize in medicine awarded to trio for optogenetics work
- Posted on October 5, 2026
- By Le Monde
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- 1 min read
In brief
The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine recognizes a groundbreaking achievement in neuroscience. Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel developed optogenetics, a revolutionary technique enabling scientists to control neural activity using light. This innovation has transformed our understanding of brain function, allowing researchers to precisely manipulate neurons and decode the neural mechanisms underlying complex behaviors including learning, fear responses, addiction, and motor control, opening new avenues for treating neurological disorders.
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Nobel Prize in medicine awarded to trio for optogenetics work
US psychiatrist and neurologist Karl Deisseroth and his German colleagues Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel won the prize for their work that helps researchers understand how specific cell types contribute to behaviors like learning, fear, addiction and movement.
