Karl Alexander Deisseroth

Karl Deisseroth is the D.H. Chen Professor of Bioengineering and of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University, where he leads a research laboratory focused on developing innovative technologies for neuroscience. He is also an Investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and serves as an attending physician at Stanford Hospital and Clinics.

Deisseroth earned his A.B. in Biochemical Sciences from Harvard University in 1992, followed by an M.D. and Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Stanford University in 1998. He completed his medical internship and psychiatry residency at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Deisseroth is renowned for pioneering two revolutionary neurotechnologies: optogenetics, which uses light to control specific neurons, and hydrogel-tissue chemistry (including CLARITY and STARmap), which makes biological tissues transparent for detailed examination. His research integrates these technologies to study neural circuit function in both healthy and diseased states, with particular emphasis on understanding the neural basis of psychiatric disorders. His work spans multiple disciplines including neuroscience, bioengineering, and psychiatry, with applications in understanding depression, anxiety, addiction, and other neurological conditions.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a continued focus on advancing both optogenetics and hydrogel-tissue chemistry technologies while applying them to increasingly complex questions in neural circuit function. His work has evolved from foundational technology development to sophisticated applications examining causal relationships in neural circuits underlying behavior and disease.

• National Academy of Medicine (2010)
• National Academy of Sciences (2012)
• National Academy of Engineering (2019)
• Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences (2016)
• Kyoto Prize (2018)
• Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research (2021)
• Japan Prize (2023)

As a mentor, Deisseroth has guided numerous students and postdoctoral fellows who have gone on to establish their own successful research programs. His laboratory has received substantial funding from the NIH, HHMI, and various private foundations to support its innovative work at the intersection of engineering, neuroscience, and psychiatry. The Deisseroth Lab at Stanford maintains a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together experts from diverse fields to tackle complex problems in brain science.

The Deisseroth Lab operates as a highly collaborative environment where engineers, neuroscientists, and clinicians work together to develop and apply cutting-edge technologies. The lab has established numerous resources for the scientific community, including detailed protocols for optogenetics and tissue-clearing techniques, fostering widespread adoption of these methods across neuroscience research worldwide.