James P. Allison
2018 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine | Founding Director, James P. Allison Institute at MD Anderson | Chair of Immunology | Pioneer of Cancer Immunotherapy
Georg Nagel
2026 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine | Co-Discoverer of Channelrhodopsin | Biophysicist, University of Würzburg
Georg Nagel is a 2026 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, the biophysicist who, with Peter Hegemann, discovered channelrhodopsin, a remarkable light-activated protein from algae. His work proving that this single protein could make any cell respond to light became the cornerstone of optogenetics, the revolutionary method that lets scientists switch brain cells on and off and decode how the living brain works.
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Georg Nagel biography
Science speaker Georg Nagel is a 2026 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, the biophysicist whose work turned a strange algal protein into one of the most powerful tools in modern science. A professor at the University of Würzburg, he proved that a single protein from a pond alga could make virtually any living cell respond to light, the discovery at the very heart of optogenetics, which now lets researchers switch individual brain cells on and off and decode how the living brain works.
Nagel’s expertise in studying proteins made him the ideal partner for Peter Hegemann, who suspected that a single algal protein could both sense light and act as an ion channel. Using frog egg cells to mass-produce the unknown proteins, Nagel showed that Hegemann’s bold idea was correct: the proteins, which they named channelrhodopsin-1 and channelrhodopsin-2, formed channels that opened within fractions of a millisecond when exposed to light. Crucially, Nagel then demonstrated that the same protein could make human and animal cells light-sensitive too, publishing the landmark results in 2003.
The Protein That Lit Up Neuroscience
That property, that any cell carrying channelrhodopsin becomes controllable by light, is what made optogenetics possible. Their co-laureate Karl Deisseroth soon used the protein Nagel had characterized to switch neurons on and off, first in a dish and then in the brains of living animals. For these foundational discoveries, Nagel received the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, alongside Hegemann and Deisseroth, and he has continued to help define the molecular properties that make light-sensitive proteins so useful for controlling cells.
As a speaker, Georg Nagel offers a firsthand account of one of modern science’s most consequential discoveries, and of the collaboration and rigor behind it. He speaks on the science of channelrhodopsin and optogenetics, how a protein from algae transformed neuroscience and medicine, and the value of fundamental research and teamwork across disciplines. His story is a vivid reminder that the tools which reshape entire fields often come from the most unexpected corners of nature.
Georg Nagel Speaking Videos
The Shaw Prize Award Ceremony 2020 - Acceptance Speech by Prof Georg Nagel
Shaw Prize Lecture in Life Science and Medicine 2020
Georg Nagel Keynote Topics
Georg Nagel shares the inside story of discovering channelrhodopsin, the light-activated protein that made optogenetics possible. He explains how he and Peter Hegemann proved that a single algal protein could open a channel in response to light, and, crucially, that it could make almost any cell light-sensitive, the property that would let scientists control the brain. A clear, fascinating account of a discovery that changed biology, told by one of the scientists who made it.
How does a protein from pond algae end up as a switch for neurons in the brain? Georg Nagel traces the scientific path from his frog-egg experiments to the global revolution of optogenetics, showing how careful, collaborative research turned an obscure molecule into one of the most powerful tools in medicine and neuroscience. A compelling journey through discovery, rigor, and unexpected impact.
Georg Nagel’s Nobel-winning work began as basic research into how proteins and cells function, with no guarantee of application. In this talk he makes a powerful case for fundamental science and cross-disciplinary collaboration: why the breakthroughs that transform medicine so often grow from curiosity and teamwork, and why investing in discovery for its own sake pays off in ways no one can foresee. An inspiring message for science, business, and policy audiences.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Georg Nagel
Why Georg Nagel?
Georg Nagel is a 2026 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine and a co-discoverer of channelrhodopsin, the protein at the heart of optogenetics. He offers audiences a firsthand account of one of the most consequential discoveries in modern science, the moment a protein from algae was shown to make any cell respond to light, and the collaboration and rigor that made it possible. Thoughtful and authoritative, he connects fundamental biology to its extraordinary real-world impact on medicine and the brain. He is a distinguished choice for events on science, innovation, research, and the future. To enquire about Georg Nagel, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
Who is Georg Nagel?
Georg Nagel is a German biophysicist and a 2026 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine. Born in 1953, he is a professor at the University of Würzburg, where his research focuses on the molecular biophysics of membrane proteins. Working with Peter Hegemann, he used frog egg cells to study two unknown proteins from the alga Chlamydomonas and proved that they were light-gated ion channels, which they named channelrhodopsin-1 and channelrhodopsin-2. He went on to show, in landmark work published in 2003, that these proteins could make human and animal cells sensitive to light, the discovery that made optogenetics possible. He shared the 2026 Nobel Prize with Peter Hegemann and Karl Deisseroth “for their discoveries concerning light-gated ion channels and optogenetics.”
What is channelrhodopsin, and what did Georg Nagel win the Nobel Prize for?
Channelrhodopsin is a protein, first found in a single-celled alga, that acts as a light-gated ion channel: when it is hit by blue light, a channel opens and charged ions flow through, creating an electrical signal. Georg Nagel’s key contribution, working with Peter Hegemann, was to prove how it works and, critically, what it could do. Using frog egg cells to produce the proteins, he showed that channelrhodopsin-1 and -2 open in a fraction of a millisecond when illuminated, and then demonstrated that introducing the protein into human and animal cells made those cells light-sensitive as well. That last finding was decisive: because any cell carrying channelrhodopsin can be controlled by light, their co-laureate Karl Deisseroth was able to put it into nerve cells and switch them on and off, creating optogenetics. For these foundational discoveries, Nagel shared the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Hegemann and Deisseroth “for their discoveries concerning light-gated ion channels and optogenetics.”
What topics does Georg Nagel speak on?
Georg Nagel speaks on the discovery of channelrhodopsin and the making of optogenetics, how a protein from algae transformed neuroscience and medicine, and the value of fundamental science and cross-disciplinary collaboration. His profile suits events on science, research and innovation, education, and the future, for academic, scientific, corporate, and general audiences. To enquire about Georg Nagel, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Georg Nagel as a keynote speaker?
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How much is Georg Nagel speaking fee?
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Can I book Georg Nagel for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Georg Nagel is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Georg Nagel for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
