{
  "id": 12135101,
  "title": "German and US scientists win Nobel medicine prize for work that has helped understand how the brain works",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/german-and-us-scientists-win-nobel-medicine-prize-for-work-that-has",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-05T11:12:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn",
    "slug": "dawn",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2034930/german-and-us-scientists-win-nobel-medicine-prize-for-work-that-has-helped-understand-how-the-brain-works"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "American Karl Deisseroth, German scientists Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel have been awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their groundbreaking discoveries in light-gated ion channels and optogenetics, which have greatly enhanced our understanding of brain function. The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institute, Sweden's prestigious medical university, announced that the trio was selected for their work on \"discoveries concerning light-gated ion channels and optogenetics.\" Optogenetics enables researchers to precisely control the activity of individual nerve cells in a living brain by turning them on or off using light. This innovative technique has already been successfully applied in clinical trials to restore vision to individuals with retinitis pigmentosa, a condition that causes blindness. Researchers are also exploring the potential of optogenetics to improve cochlear implants and enhance the stimulation of the auditory nerve. The medicine prize, one of six Nobel Prizes established by Swedish inventor and industrialist Alfred Nobel in 1901, has recognized numerous influential scientific breakthroughs, including penicillin's discovery by Alexander Fleming in 1945 and the identification of human blood groups by Karl Landsteiner in 1930. The Nobel laureates were surprised and delighted to receive the award together, expressing their gratitude and excitement about the honor.",
  "summary": "American Karl Deisseroth and Germans Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine on Monday for their discoveries on light and optogenetics that have helped understand how the brain works. The Nobel Assembly of Sweden’s Karolinska Institute medical university said Deisseroth, 54, Hegemann, 71, and Nagel, 73, were selected for their “discoveries concerning…",
  "key_points": [
    "Developed light-gated ion channels and optogenetics to enhance brain function understanding",
    "Optogenetics enables precise control of individual nerve cells in living brain using light"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "DW English (Top Stories)",
        "title": "German and US scientists win Nobel Prize in medicine",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/german-and-us-scientists-win-nobel-prize-in-medicine",
        "published": "2026-10-05T09:37:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "German, US scientists win Nobel medicine prize for work on optogenetics",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/german-us-scientists-win-nobel-medicine-prize-for-work-on-optogenetics",
        "published": "2026-10-05T11:12:03.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Bernama",
        "title": "World : German Duo And US Scientist Win Nobel Medicine Prize For Optogenetics",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/world-german-duo-and-us-scientist-win-nobel-medicine-prize-for",
        "published": "2026-10-05T11:22:18.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}