12 April 2018

Anna Klawonn, CSAN, has received Knut och Alice Wallenbergs Postdoctoral Fellowship for Stanford University.

The award allows her to spend two years at Stanford and with Robert C Malenka, professor in psychiatry, and his research group.

– Ever since I got the news I have been one giant walking smile. It is a scientific dream come true. Receiving the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Postdoctoral Fellowship for Stanford University gives me the financial freedom to work with and learn from one of the world leading scientists in affective neuroscience, professor Robert C. Malenka. I remember reading the Malenka group's articles when I just started my PhD, dreaming of one day doing science like that... now I suddenly have the chance. I am really thankful.

During her stay there Anna will be investigating the neurocircuitry of affective state and motivation in the hope of uncovering a biological interface between the two.

It is a scientific problem I have been thinking about for many years while working on my PhD and it has never been investigated before. The study could bring new knowledge for treating various psychiatric disorders characterized by changes in both mood and motivation, such as major depressive disorder, mood changes in chronic inflammation diseases and drug addiction.

– I hope to learn a lot from my work in the Malenka group. Stanford University is currently second to none worldwide within neuroscientific bioengineering technologies, which is the reason why this project is even possible. I would like to bring a lot of new knowledge and ideas back with me to LiU

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