The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel for developing optogenetics, a groundbreaking technique that uses light to control genetically marked neurons. Originating from studies of light-sensitive proteins in single-celled algae, optogenetics allows scientists to activate and suppress specific brain cells in intact brains with unprecedented precision.
Background
Optogenetics emerged from pioneering work combining genetics and optics to control neuron activity with light. It has become one of the most transformative tools in modern neuroscience, enabling causal investigations of neural circuits.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Oct 6, 2026 at 01:59 AM
- Score
- 8.0 / 10