The Nobel medicine prize was awarded to US psychiatrist and neurologist Karl Deisseroth and German scientists Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for their groundbreaking work in the field of optogenetics. This innovative technique involves controlling nerve signals with light, enabling researchers to understand how specific cell types contribute to behaviors such as learning, fear, addiction, and movement. The trio was honored "for their discovery of a molecular switch for nerve cells," according to the Nobel Assembly.
Optogenetics has revolutionized the field of neuroscience, allowing researchers to switch individual neural circuits on or off in the brain using light. This has led to significant insights into neural circuits governing specific memories, feelings, and behaviors relevant to neurological and psychiatric disorders. The method has been used on humans on a limited basis, particularly to treat a specific form of blindness, and may one day lead to treatments for disorders such as Parkinson's disease and epilepsy.
Deisseroth, Hegemann, and Nagel were surprised by the news, with Deisseroth receiving the call while he was about to sleep on the US west coast. He described the honor as "incredible" and "unexpected." Nagel, who received the call while in Italy, initially thought it was "still too early" for optogenetics to be considered for a Nobel prize due to its limited clinical adoption. However, the Nobel committee highlighted the field's potential and its fundamental impact on our understanding of the brain.
The discovery of optogenetics began with Hegemann and Nagel's finding of a protein in an alga that could create an electrical charge in a cell when illuminated with blue light. Deisseroth then introduced the gene for this protein, channelrhodopsin, into nerve cells in rats, triggering a nerve signal with light. He published his breakthrough in 2005 and made the light-controlled switch for nerve cells work in the brains of living mice two years later.
Deisseroth, 54, is a professor at Stanford University in the US, while Hegemann, 71, is a neuroscience professor at Humboldt University of Berlin. Nagel, 73, is a biophysics professor at the University of Wuerzburg. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz commented on the award, saying it shows that German research is top-notch and that international collaboration in science remains crucial.
The laureates will receive their prizes, including a diploma, a gold medal, and a $1.2-million award to share, on December 10, the anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel, the prize's founder. Deisseroth's work in psychiatry and neurodevelopmental disorders has been a constant source of new perspectives, and he believes that understanding the human brain is essential to helping people who need it most.
Experts in the field have welcomed the Nobel prize, with Simon Schultz, professor of neurotechnology at Imperial College London, describing optogenetics as "transformational across the biological sciences." Konstantin Nikolic, visiting professor in electrical and electronic engineering at Imperial College London, noted that one of the key areas for future development is the use of optogenetics in humans, with early-stage clinical trials already underway.
Key points
- The Nobel medicine prize was awarded to US-German trio for their discovery of a molecular switch for nerve cells.
- Optogenetics has the potential to lead to treatments for disorders such as Parkinson's disease and epilepsy.
- The laureates will receive their prizes, including a $1.2-million award, on December 10.
