Nobel Prize Award 2026 in Physiology & Medicine Winners Announced: Check Full List

Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel win Nobel Prize in medicine 2026. The Nobel Prize Award Winners 2026 will be announced from 5 October to 12 October 2026, and each day, the winners of one category will be declared among the six-one, which are Physiology or Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, Literature, Peace, and Economic Sciences.

The first day for the announcement of the Nobel Prize Award Winners 2026 will be on 5th October for Physiology or Medicine.

Nobel Prize Award 2026 Shortlists

Monday's Nobel Prize in Medicine could go to research that paved the way for weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro, Nobel watchers told AFP.

That could encompass microbiome research, the discovery of the leptin and ghrelin hormones regulating satiety and hunger, and research into a hormone released by the intestine after we eat which signals satiety, called "glucagon-like peptide 1" (GLP-1).

"A Nobel Prize recognising any of that work is a likelihood," said David Pendlebury, who leads research analysis at data analytics firm Clarivate, which predicts potential Nobel winners based on the number of citations of their work. "I would put GLP-1 at the top of the list, just because of its enormous worldwide clinical impact," he said.

Many scientists have made major contributions in the field, though three regularly shortlisted for the Nobel are Canadian endocrinologist Daniel Drucker, Danish physician Jens Juul Holst and Yugoslav-born American chemist Svetlana Mojsov.         

Nobel Prize Award 2026 in Medicine Possible Honours

If the Nobel Committee were to choose a different area of research, skin regeneration and wound healing could emerge as a potential contender. American cell biologist Elaine Fuchs and British scientist Fiona Watt are regarded as leading researchers in understanding how skin cells regenerate, maintain tissue and repair wounds. Swedish public broadcaster SR science reporter Annika Ostman has identified their work as a possible area of recognition.

Another potential breakthrough is optical coherence tomography (OCT), a non-invasive imaging technology that uses reflected light to produce detailed, cross-sectional images of biological tissues. The technique is particularly important in examining the retina and optic nerve, helping doctors detect, diagnose and monitor various diseases without invasive procedures.

The Nobel Committee could also recognise advances in immune-system adhesion receptors, an area associated with US immunologist Timothy Springer. These receptors act like molecular grips on immune cells, allowing them to attach to blood vessels and move into tissues where infections or inflammation are present. Their role in controlling the movement of immune cells has made them important targets for research into treatments for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Other possible areas include breast cancer research and advances in DNA sequencing. Research in these fields has transformed scientists’ understanding of diseases and contributed to the development of improved diagnostic and treatment approaches. DNA sequencing technologies have also played an important role in studying viruses, including the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19.

Nobel Prize Winners in Medicine of Previous Years

Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine previously for their discoveries around peripheral immune tolerance. The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded almost every year since 1901 to all the scientists whose work has transformed our understanding of life, health, disease, and treatment. As of 2024, it has been awarded 115 times to 229 laureates (216 men and 13 women). 

List of Nobel Prize Winners in Physiology or Medicine (Previous Years)

Here is the list of Nobel Prize winners in Physiology or Medicine, including their year, names, and the country they belong to:

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has honoured more than a century of groundbreaking discoveries that have changed the world of healthcare and biology. From early research on diseases to modern breakthroughs in genetics, immunology, and medicine, each winner has helped humanity live longer and healthier lives.