Nobel-winning optogenetics sees growing biotech interest

Karl Deisseroth, a Stanford psychiatrist and bioengineer, learned he had shared the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for pioneering optogenetics, a method that makes neurons responsive to light.

Optogenetics, originally a basic‑research tool that uses lasers to probe brain circuits in animals, is now being translated into therapeutic concepts by several biotech companies.

Deisseroth emphasized that controlling specific neurons is a goal not only for science but also for clinical neuroscience, and he noted that biotechs are making steady progress in turning the technology into treatments.

The article highlights the excitement in the field as researchers and companies explore how light‑controlled neural modulation could address neurological disorders, signaling a shift from laboratory experiments toward potential medical applications.