Ellen MacArthur
Dame Commander of the British Empire | World Record Solo Circumnavigator | Founder, Ellen MacArthur Foundation | Circular Economy Pioneer
Karl Deisseroth
2026 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine | Pioneer of Optogenetics | Neuroscientist & Psychiatrist, Stanford University & the Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Karl Deisseroth is a 2026 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, a Stanford neuroscientist and psychiatrist who pioneered optogenetics, a method that uses light to switch individual brain cells on and off. By turning a light-sensitive algal protein into a precise switch for neurons, he gave science an unprecedented tool to map how the brain creates memories, emotions, and behavior, and new hope for treating psychiatric and neurological disease.
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Karl Deisseroth biography
Science speaker Karl Deisseroth is a 2026 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine and the pioneer of optogenetics, one of the most transformative tools in the history of brain science. A neuroscientist, bioengineer, and practicing psychiatrist at Stanford University and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, he found a way to switch individual brain cells on and off using light, giving researchers an unprecedented ability to see how specific neurons create memories, emotions, and behavior in the living brain.
Deisseroth shared the prize with the biophysicists Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel, who had discovered channelrhodopsin, a light-sensitive protein in a single-celled alga. Deisseroth saw what that algal protein could become. In 2005, he introduced the gene for channelrhodopsin into nerve cells and used blue light to trigger precise electrical signals; two years later, he made the light-controlled switch work in the brains of living mice. The method, soon named optogenetics, let scientists activate a single type of neuron with a flash of light, something Francis Crick had once imagined as an almost impossible dream.
A New Era in Neuroscience
The impact has been profound. Using optogenetics, researchers worldwide have mapped the neural circuits behind pain, reward, memory, fear, sleep, and social behavior, and gained new insight into depression, anxiety, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s. The method is now being tested to restore sight in people blinded by retinitis pigmentosa. For this work, Deisseroth received the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, alongside honors including the Lasker Award, the Breakthrough Prize, and the Japan Prize. A medical doctor who began his career moved by the suffering of psychiatric patients, he has never lost sight of the goal behind the science: better ways to help the human mind.
As a speaker, Karl Deisseroth is a rare figure who bridges cutting-edge science, medicine, and the deepest questions about the mind. He speaks on the frontiers of neuroscience and mental health, how optogenetics is unlocking the brain’s mysteries, the future of psychiatry and treatment, and the courage it takes to pursue an idea others call impossible. Audiences leave with a profound new appreciation of the brain, and of what science can still achieve.
Karl Deisseroth Speaking Videos
Health Matters 2025: The Intelligence of Emotions | Karl Deisseroth, MD, PhD
Dr. Karl Deisseroth Plenary - Stanford Center for Precision Mental Health & Wellness Symposium
Karl Deisseroth Keynote Topics
Karl Deisseroth tells the story of one of the most remarkable breakthroughs in modern science: the ability to control individual brain cells with light. He explains how a protein borrowed from pond algae became a precise switch for neurons, and how optogenetics now lets researchers reveal exactly which cells create a memory, a feeling, or a behavior. Accessible and awe-inspiring, it is a front-row seat to a revolution in how we understand the brain.
As both a Nobel-winning neuroscientist and a practicing psychiatrist, Karl Deisseroth offers a rare, deeply human perspective on the mind. He explores what optogenetics and modern neuroscience are teaching us about depression, anxiety, and other conditions, and how this knowledge could transform treatment and care. A thoughtful, moving talk connecting the frontiers of the laboratory to the real suffering, and hope, of patients.
Optogenetics was once dismissed as an unrealistic dream. In this inspiring keynote, Karl Deisseroth reflects on what it takes to pursue a radical idea against the odds: the vision to see what could be, the willingness to risk failure, and the collaboration that turns a concept into a discovery. Rich with lessons on innovation and perseverance, it resonates far beyond science, with any leader or team chasing something ambitious.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Karl Deisseroth
Why Karl Deisseroth?
Karl Deisseroth is a 2026 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine and the pioneer of optogenetics, a method that transformed neuroscience and is now being used in laboratories around the world. A Stanford neuroscientist, bioengineer, and practicing psychiatrist, he is that rare figure who operates at the intersection of cutting-edge science, medicine, and the deepest questions about the human mind. Articulate and genuinely inspiring, he connects a revolution in brain research to its human purpose: helping people. He is a distinguished choice for events on science, innovation, health and medicine, mental health, and the future. To enquire about Karl Deisseroth, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
Who is Karl Deisseroth?
Karl Deisseroth is an American neuroscientist, bioengineer, and psychiatrist, and a 2026 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine. Born in 1971, he is a professor of bioengineering and of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University and an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He is best known as the pioneer of optogenetics, a method he developed to control the activity of specific nerve cells using light, beginning with neurons in 2005 and the brains of living mice in 2007. He shared the 2026 Nobel Prize with Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel "for their discoveries concerning light-gated ion channels and optogenetics." His many honors include the Lasker Award, the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, and the Japan Prize.
What is optogenetics, and what did Karl Deisseroth win the Nobel Prize for?
Optogenetics is a revolutionary method that allows scientists to switch individual nerve cells on or off using light, and it earned Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "for their discoveries concerning light-gated ion channels and optogenetics." It began when Hegemann and Nagel discovered channelrhodopsin, a protein in a single-celled alga that opens a channel and creates an electrical signal when hit by blue light. Deisseroth's breakthrough was to put the gene for that protein into nerve cells, making them respond to light, and then, in the brains of living animals, to switch specific neurons on and off with pulses delivered through a fine optical fiber. For the first time, researchers could prove which exact cells drive a particular memory, emotion, or behavior. Optogenetics is now used worldwide to map the brain's circuits, to study disorders like depression, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's, and in early clinical efforts to restore sight to the blind.
What topics does Karl Deisseroth speak on?
Karl Deisseroth speaks on optogenetics and controlling the brain with light, the frontiers of neuroscience and the mind, the future of mental health and psychiatry, and the vision and risk-taking behind scientific discovery. His profile suits events on science, health and medicine, innovation, mental health, and the future, for corporate, medical, academic, and general audiences. To enquire about Karl Deisseroth, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Karl Deisseroth as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Karl Deisseroth as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Karl Deisseroth's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Karl Deisseroth or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Karl Deisseroth speaking fee?
Karl Deisseroth speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Karl Deisseroth to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Karl Deisseroth.
How can I contact Karl Deisseroth?
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Can I book Karl Deisseroth for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Karl Deisseroth is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Karl Deisseroth for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
