Nobel Prize in Medicine Awarded for Optogenetics Research
Three scientists were recognized for their groundbreaking work on light-gated ion channels, a technique that allows researchers to control nerve cell activity with light.
STOCKHOLM (AP) — The Nobel Prize in medicine was awarded Monday to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel for their pioneering research into optogenetics.
The award, announced at the Karolinska Institute, marks the beginning of Nobel Prizes week. The prize money this year totals 12 million Swedish kronor, approximately $1.2 million.
The laureates were honored "for discoveries leading to optogenetics, which makes it possible to switch on, or off, the activity of individual nerve cells in a living brain," according to the Nobel Committee.
This technique is now utilized globally in laboratories to explore the complexities of the brain. The Nobel Committee shared this information on the social platform X.
Last year, the Nobel Prize in medicine was awarded to three scientists for their research into how the immune system distinguishes between pathogens and the body's own cells, a discovery crucial for understanding autoimmune diseases. This research uncovered a key pathway known as peripheral immune tolerance.
Nobel Prize announcements will continue with physics on Tuesday, chemistry on Wednesday, and literature on Thursday. The Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences is scheduled for Oct. 12, following the announcement of the peace prize on Friday.