2018 Gairdner Laureates  Karl Deisseroth and Peter Hegemann Awarded Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

2018 Canada Gairdner International Award Laureates Karl Deisseroth and Peter Hegemann were awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine today, alongside Georg Nagel, “for their discoveries concerning light-gated ion channels and optogenetics.”   

Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel discovered channel-rhodopsin, a light-sensitive protein found in the single-celled alga Chlamydomonas. When exposed to light, channel-rhodopsin opens a channel that allows charged ions to flow into the cell, creating an electrical signal. Karl Deisseroth then adapted this light-sensitive protein for use in nerve cells, demonstrating that neurons could be activated with light and, in 2007, using the technique to control nerve cells in the brains of living mice. 

Together, their discoveries laid the foundation for optogenetics, a technology that allows researchers to control specific cells with unprecedented precision using light. Optogenetics has revolutionized neuroscience, enabling researchers to investigate how individual neural circuits contribute to memories, feelings and behaviours, as well as to better understand the mechanisms underlying neurological and psychiatric disorders. The technology is also being explored for potential clinical applications, including efforts to restore sight in people with visual impairment. 

Both Drs. Deisseroth and Hegemann remain active members of the Gairdner community. Dr. Deisseroth currently serves on the Gairdner Foundation’s Medical Advisory Board, contributing to the Foundation’s rigorous annual process for selecting Canada Gairdner Award laureates.

Karl Deisseroth and Peter Hegemann become the 104th and 105th Gairdner laureates to subsequently win the Nobel Prize. From Gairdner laureates to Nobel laureates, their 2018 visit is a reminder of the extraordinary science that has taken the Gairdner stage. Revisit highlights from the 2018 Laureate Lectures and their acceptance speeches, and hear from the 2026 Gairdner laureates at Gairdner Science Week, October 19–23, in Toronto and online.