Karl Deisseroth, a professor of bioengineering and psychiatry at Stanford University, has shared the emotional moment he told his children he won the Nobel Prize. The neuroscientist was awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his groundbreaking work in brain research.
Footage released by the Nobel Foundation and Stanford University captured the family gathering at home as Deisseroth broke the news. His daughters, 13-year-old Emma and 10-year-old Sophia, burst into smiles and embraced him, while his young son repeatedly asked what in complete disbelief.
Deisseroth shares this year's Nobel Prize in Medicine with German biophysicists Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel. The Nobel Assembly honored the three researchers for their key discoveries that led to the development of optogenetics, a pioneering technique that enables scientists to control the activity of specific brain cells using light.
Optogenetics combines genetic engineering with optical methods to switch individual neurons on or off with precise timing. Deisseroth explained that the technology has allowed scientists to pinpoint specific nerve cells involved in complex brain disorders, including depression and Alzheimer's disease.
Late-Night Call from Stockholm
The life-changing notification arrived in the middle of the night when the Nobel Committee called Deisseroth's home at 12:27 a.m. Deisseroth did not answer the initial call on his phone, but seconds later, the telephone belonging to his wife rang. A voice on the line asked if they could speak with Karl.
Deisseroth admitted that the announcement took him entirely by surprise. He recalled that he found it difficult to speak for about 30 seconds after hearing the news, temporarily losing the ability to form words. He described the moment as completely unexpected and overwhelming, though he noted that his wife appeared much less surprised by the recognition.
His wife, Michelle Monje-Deisseroth, a professor of Pediatric Neuro-Oncology, expressed her delight and pride in his achievement. She said she was incredibly happy and proud of him, adding that while she acknowledged her own bias, her husband had genuinely transformed neuroscience along with several other scientific disciplines.
Campus Welcome at Stanford University
Following the early morning call, Deisseroth was greeted with widespread celebration at Stanford University in California. Students and fellow faculty members gathered on campus to wait for his arrival, welcoming the new laureate with warm applause to honor his international achievement.
Deisseroth serves as a professor of bioengineering as well as psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford, where his laboratory pioneered the application of light-sensitive microbial proteins to neural circuits. The annual Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is awarded by the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, recognizing contributions of outstanding benefit to humankind.
