Nobel Prize in Medicine Awarded to Three Scientists Conducting Optogenetics Research
Three scientists have been awarded for their pioneering work in optogenetics, which enables the control of brain cells using light.
Announced at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, the Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel for their optogenetics research, which makes it possible to switch individual nerve cell activity on and off with the help of light.
Recipients and Affiliations of the Award
Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel became the recipients of the Nobel Prize in Medicine for their research examining the functioning of nerve cells.
The scientists continue their academic work at universities in the United States of America and Germany.
The Place of the Research in the Scientific World
The Nobel Assembly stated that this method is actively used in laboratories around the world to unlock the mysteries of the brain.
Committee secretary Thomas Perlmann announced that he called all three winners by telephone to inform them of the award.
Fundamentals of the Optogenetics Method
The research began with Peter Hegemann examining how single-celled green algae can swim toward light.
Hegemann and Nagel discovered a special protein that opens a channel producing an electrical signal when illuminated with blue light.
Application Process in Living Brains
Transferring the discovered protein to other cells made these cells sensitive to light.
Karl Deisseroth succeeded in creating a light-controlled switch for nerve cells in the brains of living mice.
Award Ceremony and Prize Money Details
The winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine was announced at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.
This year's prize amount was determined as a total of 12 million Swedish kronor, regardless of whether it is won individually or as a group.