Bad Homburg v. d. Höhe, October 7, 2026 – The U.S. neuroscientist and psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Karl Deisseroth (Stanford University) and the German researchers Prof. Dr. Peter Hegemann (Humboldt University Berlin), and Prof. Dr. Georg Nagel (University of Würzburg) are to be honored with the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The Nobel Prize Committee announced its decision on October 5. Deisseroth has had close ties with the Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (EKFS) for many years now: the foundation already honored him with the Else Kröner Fresenius Prize for Medical Research back in 2017. EKFS warmly congratulates Karl Deisseroth on being awarded the Nobel Prize.
The three scientists, considered pioneers of optogenetics, are being honored for their fundamental discoveries concerning light-gated ion channels and their groundbreaking use in neuroscience. The technique makes it possible to switch the activity of individual nerve cells on or off selectively using light, allowing their function within complex neuronal networks to be explored. With their discovery and investigation of light-sensitive proteins known as channelrhodopsins, Hegemann and Nagel performed essential groundwork. Deisseroth subsequently succeeded in introducing channelrhodopsins into the nerve cells of mammals, enabling their use in neuroscience. Optogenetics has revolutionized neuroscience research and made tremendously precise investigation of the relationships between neural circuits, behavior, memories, and emotions possible.
The EKFS already honored Deisseroth’s scientific achievements and his contribution to the understanding of the biological basis of psychiatric disorders in 2017 with the Else Kröner Fresenius Prize for Medical Research, which is endowed with four million euros. He was recognized for his groundbreaking discoveries in optogenetics and hydrogel tissue chemistry as well as his research into the neural circuit basis of depression. Deisseroth used the prize money to conduct further experiments in this field.
The EKFS is also currently supporting research projects on the potential applications of optogenetics in medicine. Since 2024, it has been funding the Else Kröner Fresenius Center (EKFZ) for Optogenetic Therapies at the University Medical Center in Göttingen (UMG) with up to 37.4 million euros over ten years. The aim of the EKFZ is to translate optogenetic approaches from basic research into clinical practice, thereby paving the way for new treatment options for patients in the long term. The focus is on innovative therapeutic approaches for blindness, gastroparesis, movement disorders, and deafness. This also includes the development of an optogenetic cochlear implant for “hearing with light.”
Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (EKFS) – Advancing research. Helping people.
The Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung is a nonprofit foundation that promotes medical research and supports humanitarian projects. To date the foundation has funded around 3,000 projects. With an annual funding volume currently of approximately 90 million euros, it is the largest foundation in Germany supporting medical advancement. For more information, see https://ekfs.de/en
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Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung
Caroline Prosenjak
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E-Mail:c.prosenjak@ekfs.de