The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for their pioneering discoveries in optogenetics. This innovative technology enables scientists to control the activity of specific nerve cells using light, opening new possibilities for investigating how the brain functions and how neurological and psychiatric disorders develop.
The award highlights how fundamental research can deepen our understanding of brain function and neurological disorders, laying the foundations for innovative technologies and future therapy approaches. Across Europe, research and innovation projects are contributing to these advances by investigating neurological diseases from different perspectives.
Within our Health Innovation Ecosystem, several projects reflect this diversity of approaches, from exploring fundamental disease mechanisms to developing innovative therapeutic technologies.
The EU-funded EU-GliaPhD project investigated interactions between nerve cells and glial cells, with a particular focus on epilepsy, while NEUROCOV explores mechanisms underlying brain vulnerability and neurological complications associated with COVID-19. SysMedPD focused on mitochondrial dysfunction in Parkinson's disease, combining experimental research with computational modelling to support the development of more personalised treatment approaches. EURAS investigates genetic signalling pathways involved in RASopathies, aiming to improve the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of these rare genetic disorders. Complementing these approaches, B-SMART developed innovative RNA-based nanomedicines designed to improve drug delivery in the brain, particularly for Alzheimer's disease.
The Nobel Prize also highlights the importance of European investment in frontier research. Laureate Peter Hegemann received support from the European Research Council (ERC), demonstrating how sustained funding for scientific discovery can contribute to advances with far-reaching implications for medicine.
