Discovery of light-activated proteins and their application in neuroscience wins Nobel prize in medicine
By 
Mason Wakley2026-10-05T13:48:00
Optogenetics has helped researchers better understand the brain and is enabling new treatments for neurological conditions
The 2026 Nobel prize in physiology or medicine has been awarded to three researchers for discoveries relating to a class of light-sensitive proteins and how they can control the activity of individual cells. In particular, expressing these proteins in nerve cells has enabled neuroscientists to study which circuits in the brain are responsible for different behaviours, and to develop treatments for various neurological conditions.