American Karl Deisseroth is one of the winners of the 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine, alongside Germans Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel. He was surprised to learn he had won the world's most prestigious award. "Actually, I was sleeping when they called me from Stockholm because I wasn't expecting it," he said. Domingo Espetacular was the first Brazilian program to interview him after the announcement.

A psychiatrist, neurologist, and bioengineer, Deisseroth gained recognition for a discovery that could change the course of medicine: optogenetics, a technique that uses light to control specific brain cells. A thin, needle-like optical fiber carries a beam of blue light to neurons, acting as a switch that activates or deactivates these cells. The technology could help in the development of more precise treatments for conditions such as epilepsy, depression, dementia, Parkinson's disease, and schizophrenia.

The discovery originated from a freshwater algae capable of detecting light and swimming towards the sun. Researchers have identified a gene that allows the production of a protein activated by blue light. Inserted into a non-disease virus, this protein can be delivered to specific neurons. When light hits the modified cells, channels open and generate electrical impulses. In tests with mice, scientists have already managed to control movement, sleep, wakefulness, hunger, thirst, fear, and anxiety.

The technique has spread to laboratories around the world, including in Brazil. Professor Thiago Moreira, from the University of São Paulo (USP), uses optogenetics in rats to investigate how the brain controls breathing.

In ophthalmology, research is also advancing. Clinical studies initiated in 2021 have already completed three stages, including tests on humans, to try to recover some of the vision of people with severe visual loss. This is the case of Lucimeire Bonfim, who discovered she had retinitis pigmentosa at age 11. The genetic disease, which affects one in every 4,000 people worldwide, causes the death of the cells responsible for capturing light in the retina.

The treatment consists of an injection into the eye, under local anesthesia, to deliver the protein to the superficial layers of the retina. The expectation is that other cells will take over some of the function of those that have died. Experts emphasize, however, that the technique does not represent a cure nor guarantee significant visual improvement, but it can provide minimal vision and greater autonomy. There are still ethical issues to discuss, especially regarding the limits of brain manipulation.

For Lucimeire, the possibility of seeing a little better means fulfilling a dream: to be with her grandchildren during special moments. "I will be able to experience this with my grandsons and granddaughters," she stated.

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