2026 Nobel Prize Predictions: From GLP-1 drugs and CAR-T therapy to gene editing, these breakthroughs could take centre stage

Nobel Prize announcements for 2026 are just a few days away, and the scientific community is already speculating about what discoveries could earn the prestigious award in the field. Nobel Prizes for Physiology or Medicine, Physics and Chemistry will be awarded from October 5 through October 12. As part of our Nobel preview series, The Scientist reached out to researchers and science professionals about their choices for potential Nobel Prize winners.

The predictions span some of the most consequential areas of modern science — from GLP-1 medicines and cancer immunotherapy to sleep biology, gene editing, optical imaging and lipid nanoparticles.

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There is no official shortlist, however, and the suggestions represent individual predictions rather than indications from the Nobel committees.

Could GLP-1 research finally get Nobel recognition?

GLP-1 research features prominently in the 2026 predictions, reflecting how basic discoveries about a gut hormone eventually helped produce a new generation of medicines for diabetes and obesity.

According to The Scientist, tumour biologist Tiago Góss dos Santos predicted recognition for pharmaceutical scientist Lotte Bjerre Knudsen and endocrinologist John Eng.

Eng's work began with the Gila monster, a venomous lizard whose saliva contains peptides related to the biological pathways that later became important to GLP-1 drug development. Knudsen, meanwhile, helped advance the therapeutic potential of GLP-1 during her career at Novo Nordisk, particularly for diabetes and weight management.

Another scientist surveyed by The Scientist, immunologist Luís Ferreira Moita, put forward Svetlana Mojsov, Jens Juul Holst and Daniel Drucker for their contributions to the discovery and development of GLP-1-based treatments.

The three researchers received the 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences for their work, adding another major scientific award to a field that has rapidly moved from laboratory research into mainstream medicine.

CAR-T therapy and gene editing emerge as major contenders

Cancer treatment is another area represented in the predictions.

University of Arizona cell biologist Karthik Mallilankaraman nominated University of Pennsylvania immunologist and oncologist Carl June for the Medicine prize. June is widely associated with the development of CAR-T cell therapy, an approach that modifies a patient's own T cells so they can recognise and attack cancer cells.

CAR-T remains part of a broader expansion of cell-based cancer treatment. Recent research coverage by The Scientist has highlighted how cancer immunotherapy is moving beyond established CAR-T approaches into areas including tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes, T-cell engagers and other precision treatment platforms.

Gene editing also appears on the prediction list. Moita nominated Harvard biochemist David Liu, whose research includes base editing and prime editing. The 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences was won by Liu, as reported by The Scientist.

They are varied forms of technology, yet they have one thing in common: biological manipulation with greater and greater precision to cure diseases.

Sleep, imaging and the hidden machinery of biology

Some predictions focus on discoveries that changed the understanding of fundamental biological processes rather than on newer blockbuster medicines.

Chemist Ubagaramary Dhanasekaran predicted that Emmanuel Mignot and Masashi Yanagisawa could receive the Medicine Nobel for their discovery of orexin and its role in regulating sleep and wakefulness.

Mignot's research helped establish the genetic basis of narcolepsy, while Yanagisawa identified orexin, a signalling system central to maintaining wakefulness. The two scientists also jointly received the 2023 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, while Mignot was among the recipients of the 2026 Lasker Basic Medical Research Award, The Scientist reported.

Optical coherence tomography is another candidate field. Moita suggested James Fujimoto, David Huang and Eric Swanson for developing the technology, which allows researchers and clinicians to obtain detailed images of biological tissues.

The trio received the 2023 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award, another distinction noted by The Scientist.

Other predictions reach further back into the history of modern biology. Moita also nominated Max Cooper and Jacques Miller for their discovery of the distinct B-cell and T-cell branches of the immune system. Both scientists have previously received major recognition for this work.

Physics and chemistry predictions stretch beyond medicine

The Nobel speculation is not limited to biomedical science.

For Physics, consultant Arijit Ghosh identified Imperial College London's John Pendry as a potential laureate for foundational work on metamaterials and invisibility cloaks. Ghosh also pointed to foundational research in modern optics and quantum sensing as another possible area of recognition.

Chemistry brings a connection to one of the most visible biomedical technologies of recent years.

Ghosh nominated University of British Columbia biochemist Pieter Cullis and his team for their work on lipid nanoparticle delivery systems. These particles became a crucial technology for delivering mRNA, including the mRNA used in COVID-19 vaccines.

A separate prediction comes from veterinary public health scientist Neharika Saxena, who nominated veterinary scientist Hari Mohan Saxena for work involving bacteriophage lysate-based immunotherapy against bovine brucellosis and pathogen RNA as a biomarker for monitoring antimicrobial effectiveness.

The range of names illustrates how difficult Nobel predictions can be. The Scientist itself notes that the responses were edited for length and clarity, while the people making the predictions come from different scientific disciplines and institutions.

FAQ

1. When will the 2026 Nobel Prize winners be announced?

The 2026 Nobel laureates will be announced between October 5 and 12. The exact announcement dates vary by prize category.

2. Is GLP-1 research predicted to win a 2026 Nobel Prize?

GLP-1 research is among the fields named by scientists surveyed by The Scientist. Researchers suggested several scientists involved in the discovery and development of GLP-1 biology and medicines, but these are predictions rather than official Nobel nominations or selections.

3. Why is CAR-T treatment considered for the Nobel Prize?

Carl June was nominated in the poll conducted by The Scientist magazine owing to his work in creating CAR-T cell therapy involving genetic modification of T cells to combat cancer.

4. What other scientists have been considered for the 2026 Nobel Prize?

Some of the other scientists whose contributions were considered included Emmanuel Mignot and Masashi Yanagisawa (orexin and sleep); James Fujimoto, David Huang and Eric Swanson (optical coherence tomography); David Liu (gene editing); John Pendry (metamaterials); Pieter Cullis (lipid nanoparticle); and others.