The Nobel Prize to the pioneers of optogenetics Peter Hegemann, Georg Nagel and Karl Deisseroth

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2026 is awarded for optogenetics — a method that makes it possible to show how nerve cells shape memories, feelings and behaviours in the living brain. Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel discovered a remarkable protein, channelrhodopsin, in a single-celled alga. Karl Deisseroth transformed the protein into a light-controlled switch for nerve cells. The laureates have laid the foundation of a new era in neuroscience.

KI students came together to share the Nobel moment

When this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was announced on 5 October, KI students came together to watch the exciting moment unfold. Refreshments were served as the live broadcast was shown on a big screen.

Karl Deisseroth: Clarity technique now at KI

Karl Deisseroth is a professor at Stanford, where his group has developed two spectacular scientific techniques – optogenetics and Clarity. He has also been working since 2013 at Karolinska Institutet, which has just invested in a Clarity facility.

Thomas Perlmann: “Everyone is passionate about the Nobel Prize”

What vegan and vegetarian diets can and can’t tell us about eating disorders

Many people worry that following a vegetarian or vegan diet may signal an eating disorder. But a systematic review found no clear overall association, suggesting that the reasons behind dietary choices matter far more than the diet itself. Read the article in The Conversation.

Genetic research into autism raises ethical concerns

Women report worse sleep than men despite objectively better sleep quality

More articles by KI researchers published in The Conversation

From cold-resistant genes to face masks, Karolinska Institutet researchers contribute to the global public discourse on a range of topics through our collaboration with the international news site The Conversation.