Nobel Prize Winner Takes a Break to Make Lunch for His Children

Dr. Karl Deisseroth woke up Monday to one of the biggest moments of his professional life: a phone call telling him he had won the Nobel Prize in Medicine.

But after hours of interviews and congratulations, the Stanford scientist had something much more ordinary to take care of. His children needed their school lunches.

A Life-Changing Call Before Sunrise

Deisseroth, 54, was at his home in Stanford, California, when the Nobel Assembly in Stockholm called to tell him he had been selected for the prestigious award.

The psychiatrist and Stanford professor shared the 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine with German scientists Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for their work in optogenetics, a field that uses light and genetic techniques to study and control neurons.

Hours of Interviews and Almost No Sleep

After receiving the news, Deisseroth spent hours speaking with journalists and colleagues. He said he had barely slept after receiving the early-morning call.

An Associated Press photographer arrived at his home around 3:30 a.m. and found the scientist taking calls from his couch while his wife, Dr. Michelle Monje-Deisseroth, helped with coffee and the unexpected activity inside their home.

Then Came a Very Ordinary Family Job

As the interviews continued, Deisseroth told Stanford staff that he needed to stop for an hour at 6:30 a.m.

The reason was simple: his children would soon wake up and needed lunches before heading to school.

After a night filled with Nobel Prize calls and international attention, one of the world’s newest Nobel laureates returned briefly to a familiar responsibility shared by millions of parents every morning.

Science With a Personal Purpose

Deisseroth said his research is closely connected to his work as a psychiatrist. He has treated patients with conditions including autism and depression and said the discoveries behind the Nobel Prize could contribute to greater understanding and hope for people affected by neurological and psychiatric conditions.

His wife is also a scientist at Stanford and works as a pediatric neuro-oncologist. She was beside him during the extraordinary morning.

From Nobel Calls to School Lunches

The unusual morning offered a glimpse of the person behind the prestigious award. Even after receiving one of science’s highest honors, Deisseroth still had a normal family routine waiting for him.

For a few minutes, the Nobel Prize could wait. His children had to get ready for school.

Source: Associated Press, October 5–6, 2026.