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Dr Karl Deisseroth, D.H. Chen Professor of Bioengineering and of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, was in Oxford last week for the Kyoto Prize at Oxford. He visited the Department of Psychiatry and discussed his work with Head of Department Professor John Geddes and team.

Image shows five people stood outside the department of Psychiatry, smiling at the camera.

 

 

We were delighted to welcome Dr Karl Deisseroth to our Department. His innovations inspire us all to increase our research power and ambitions.Professor John Geddes, Head of Department of Psychiatry.

The Kyoto Prize Laureate later delivered a public lecture entitled 'Illuminating the brain' in which he explored his findings and the development of optogenetics, a breakthrough method for studying the brain which utilises light to activate neurons. The light activation allowed observation of the effects and the control of key behaviours such as pleasure, reward, and social interaction, as well as anxiety and depression.

Watch illuminating the brain (full video recording)

Learn more about the Kyoto Prize Laureates