Life Sciences & Medicine Active Updated Oct 9, 2026
Optogenetics leaves the lab for patients
Where it stands as of Oct 9, 2026
Optogenetics won the 2026 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel, and its first clinical use is in vision lost to retinitis pigmentosa. A small trial reported by STAT restored some vision, and the New England Journal of Medicine published a retinitis pigmentosa study the same week. How large and lasting the benefit is has not been established.
The story so far
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Oct 9, 2026 Latest
Karl Deisseroth of Stanford, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel won this year's Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for optogenetics. The New England Journal of Medicine published a study the same week on an optogenetic therapy for advanced retinitis pigmentosa, though the coverage did not report the trial's size or results.
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Oct 8, 2026
STAT reported that in a small trial, optogenetics restored some vision lost to retinitis pigmentosa.
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