On Tuesday, the entire Stanford Bioengineering community gathered at the Shriram Center to celebrate Karl Deisseroth, winner of the 2026 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine, before he headed off to teach his undergraduate class: "Principles and Practice of Optogenetics for Optical Control of Biological Tissues."
“We love you. We love your work,” said fellow faculty member Russ Altman, who’s known the laureate since 1992.
“Wisdom, devotion to your work, seriousness of purpose, sense of humor, and then your status as a father, husband, physician. What a model.”
The most important briefings of the day.
Karl Deisseroth, professor of bioengineering and of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, shares the news of his Nobel Prize with his kids.
Ok. I’ve spent a whole day celebrating Karl Deisseroth’s very deserved Nobel (with every other brain enthusiast!). Now let’s talk about the brilliance of Dr. Michelle Monje, his wife.
A Stanford physician, neuroscientist and recipient of a MacArthur Genius grant, Michelle has helped pioneer cancer neuroscience, revealing how brain activity can fuel tumor growth and opening new possibilities for treatment.
And I say all this because I’ve been lucky to see her work firsthand and have been awe struck since the moment I met her. What makes Michelle extraordinary is the combination of scientific brilliance and her absolute unwavering commitment to children with devastating brain cancers. She is pushing the science forward because those children and their families cannot afford to wait.
Everybody deserves to know @michelle_monje.