Karl Deisseroth

Karl Deisseroth is the D.H. Chen Professor of Bioengineering and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University, and an Investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He holds dual appointments in the School of Medicine and School of Engineering. His research focuses on developing transformative neurotechnologies like optogenetics and CLARITY, pioneering causal systems neuroscience, and advancing understanding of psychiatric disorders such as depression and autism. He completed his A.B. at Harvard, and M.D. and Ph.D. at Stanford, followed by residency and postdoctoral training at Stanford.

Deisseroth's lab has disseminated optogenetics and CLARITY to thousands of labs globally. His honors include the Japan Prize (2023), Lasker Award (2021), Kyoto Prize (2018), and membership in all three U.S. National Academies. He continues clinical practice in psychiatry, combining medications with neural stimulation therapies.

Key research interests span optogenetic tools, 3D genome architecture in neurons, and neurobiological mechanisms of emotion and dissociation. He teaches courses on optogenetics and systems physiology, advising over 30 doctoral and postdoctoral researchers. His work bridges engineering, neuroscience, and psychiatry, with over 500 publications and numerous patents.