# Karl Deisseroth

_American optogeneticist_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/karl-deisseroth
Last updated: 2026-11-01

> Karl Alexander Deisseroth is an American scientist and physician. He is the D.H. Chen Foundation Professor of Bioengineering and a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University. He was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2026 for his work in optogenetics.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 18 November 1971 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q935993#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Boston ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q935993#P19))
- **Citizenship:** United States ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q935993#P27))
- **Occupation:** psychiatrist; neuroscientist; university teacher; bioengineer; academic; docent ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q935993#P106))
- **Education:** Harvard University; Stanford University; Stanford University School of Medicine ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q935993#P69))
- **Spouse:** Michelle Monje ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q935993#P26))
- **Official website:** deisseroth.com ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q935993#P856))
- **Awards:** Albany Medical Center Prize; Dickson Prize in Medicine; Massry Prize; Keio Medical Science Prize; Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences; Golden Brain Award; The Brain Prize; Harvey Prize; Perl-UNC Prize; W. Alden Spencer Award; Gabbay Award; Lurie Prize in Biomedical Sciences; Richard Lounsbery Award; BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award; Dickson Prize in Science ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q935993#P166))

## Questions

**When was Karl Deisseroth born?**  
Karl Deisseroth was born on 18 November 1971 in Boston.

**Where did Karl Deisseroth study?**  
Karl Deisseroth was educated at Harvard University, Stanford University, Stanford University School of Medicine.

## Related

- [Jan Koum](https://diginpl.com/people/jan-koum)
- [Joe Gebbia](https://diginpl.com/people/joe-gebbia)
- [Luke Nosek](https://diginpl.com/people/luke-nosek)
- [Miriam Adelson](https://diginpl.com/people/miriam-adelson)
- [Adam Riess](https://diginpl.com/people/adam-riess)
- [Alan J. Heeger](https://diginpl.com/people/alan-j-heeger)
- [Alfred G. Gilman](https://diginpl.com/people/alfred-g-gilman)
- [Alfred Hershey](https://diginpl.com/people/alfred-hershey)
- [Allan MacLeod Cormack](https://diginpl.com/people/allan-macleod-cormack)
- [Andrea M. Ghez](https://diginpl.com/people/andrea-m-ghez)
- [Andrew Fire](https://diginpl.com/people/andrew-fire)
- [Andrew Schally](https://diginpl.com/people/andrew-schally)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Karl Deisseroth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Deisseroth) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q935993](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q935993) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Karl Deisseroth by Christopher Michel 04.jpg by Christopher Michel (CC BY-SA 4.0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Karl_Deisseroth_by_Christopher_Michel_04.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Karl Deisseroth, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Karl Deisseroth by Christopher Michel 04.jpg — Christopher Michel, CC BY-SA 4.0.

## Cite this page

"Karl Deisseroth". DigiNepal. Last updated 1 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/karl-deisseroth. Retrieved 15 November 2026.
