Brain Prize 2026 honors two scientists who rewrote the textbook on touch and pain

The Brain Prize 2026, Lundbeck Foundation, March 5, 2026

Touch is so constant that we rarely think about it. The texture of a keyboard, the temperature of a coffee mug, the pressure of a handshake. But the nervous system's ability to distinguish a gentle stroke from a sharp pinch, a warm surface from a burning one, depends on an elaborate network of specialized sensory neurons, supporting cells, and precisely organized spinal cord circuits that scientists have only recently begun to map in detail.

The 2026 Brain Prize, the world's largest neuroscience research award, recognizes two scientists who built that map: David Ginty of Harvard Medical School and Patrik Ernfors of the Karolinska Institute. Their combined work identified distinct types of sensory neurons, linked them to specific end organs and pathways, and provided the genetic and molecular tools that have become standard in the field. The prize, awarded by the Lundbeck Foundation, carries a purse of DKK 10 million (approximately EUR 1.3 million).

Classifying the body's sensors

The somatosensory system handles everything from the feeling of wind on skin to the sharp signal that makes you pull your hand from a flame. For more than 150 years, anatomists had described the peripheral sensory neuron endings responsible for these sensations, but their precise functional properties remained unclear.

Ginty's laboratory at Harvard used a combination of molecular genetic, physiological, anatomical, and behavioral approaches to define the functional properties of somatosensory neuron types across the body. His work resolved what those enigmatic peripheral endings, first described by anatomists in the 19th century, actually do. His lab also identified organizational principles of local spinal cord pathways and ascending circuits for both touch and pain.

Ernfors, working at the Karolinska Institute, took a complementary approach, combining molecular, computational, and systems neuroscience. His detailed classification of sensory neuron subtypes proved foundational for understanding how the body detects environmental stimuli. Critically, Ernfors demonstrated a remarkable degree of conservation in somatosensory cell types and their organization across species, enabling translation of knowledge gained from model organisms into insights about the human system.

From basic science to chronic pain

The practical significance of this work extends beyond mapping. Chronic pain affects millions of people worldwide and remains notoriously difficult to treat. Current pain medications tend to be broad-acting, which is why they come with side effects and, in the case of opioids, addiction risk.

By identifying the specific cell types and neural pathways responsible for different pain modalities, Ginty and Ernfors have created what the prize selection committee calls a blueprint for understanding where things go wrong in disorders such as chronic pain and hyper- or hyposensitivity. That blueprint enables the development of targeted interventions that act on specific cell types rather than blanketing the entire nervous system.

Ginty's ongoing work at Harvard focuses on somatosensory system dysfunction in developmental disorders and chronic pain states, including potential therapeutic approaches for touch over-reactivity. Ernfors continues to apply his classification framework to identify what causes chronic pain at the cellular level.

What the prize selection committee noted

Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg, chair of the selection committee, emphasized that somatosensation defines the boundary between body and world, making it essential to our sense of physical self. The committee highlighted the novel genetic and molecular tools provided by both laureates, which are now widely used across the field.

The Brain Prize has been awarded annually since 2011 by the Lundbeck Foundation, with recipients selected regardless of nationality. Since its inception, 49 scientists from 11 countries have received the award. The ceremony takes place in Copenhagen with the participation of HM The King of Denmark, who serves as the prize's patron.

The field's remaining challenges

Despite the progress, significant gaps remain. How sensory signals are processed and integrated in higher brain areas to produce conscious perception of touch and pain is still poorly understood. The emotional and behavioral responses to pain, which vary enormously between individuals, add layers of complexity that cell-type classification alone cannot resolve.

The translation from sensory neuron identification to actual therapies also takes time. While the blueprint exists, building drugs or interventions that selectively target specific sensory neuron subtypes without affecting others is an engineering challenge that the field is still working through.