Janna Cousijn appointed professor of Addiction Risk & Resilience; From Brain to Society

The chair was established to gain more insight into the social-neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the development and recovery from addiction. 

Janna Cousijn uses an interdisciplinary approach to investigate how the brain and the environment together shape substance use and addiction during different stages of life. Cousijn: 'By looking at the brain's natural capacity for recovery, but also at the role of social and cultural factors, my team and I hope to find new ways to prevent and treat addiction.' 

The chair also focuses on improving addiction science from a methodological perspective and promoting the use of fundamental science to benefit society. This involves developing methods to better measure social and cultural processes. In addition, strengthening the connection between different scientific disciplines is important.  

To ensure that fundamental knowledge can be used in society, it is essential to better align research goals with social partners and what is happening in society. ‘In this way, I want to advance the field of addiction science,’ says Cousijn. 

About Janna Cousijn 

Prof. Janna Cousijn is a cognitive neuroscientist with a neurobiology, psychology and psychiatry background. She is fascinated by the question of why only some people lose control over certain behaviours, such as substance use. In 2012, she obtained her PhD cum laude from the University of Amsterdam for her research on cannabis and the brain. Since 2021, she has been affiliated with the Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (ESSB), where she founded the Neuroscience of Addiction (NofA) lab. She is also the current programme director of psychology research and one of the Centre for Substance Use and Addiction Research (CESAR) founders at EUR. As regional editor of the international journal Addiction, she is committed to promoting more inclusive international research. The chair is part of the Brain and Cognition team.