Jorien Treur, Assistant professor in Genetics and Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, has been awarded the KNAW Early Career Award for her research on mental health problems. The award, consisting of 15,000 euros and a work of art, is given to researchers in the Netherlands who are at the start of their careers and have original and innovative research ideas. 

With her research, Jorien Treur tries to answer the question of why people who smoke cigarettes, consume a lot of alcohol, or use cannabis are more likely to have mental health problems. She uses innovative (genetic) research techniques to identify cause and effect in these complex relationships. Treur does not only focus on better understanding the etiology of mental health problems, but also on new therapies. For example, computer-based cognitive training that can help people to quit addictive behaviors. Her research represents the full breadth of science, from improving the treatment of mental health problems to preventing them from arising in the first place.

KNAW Early Career Award

Twelve young researchers, three from each of the Academy’s four domains, are to receive a KNAW Early Career Award. The award, consisting of €15,000 and a work of art, is intended for researchers in the Netherlands who are at the start of their careers and have original and innovative research ideas. The KNAW Early Career Award is being presented this year for the third time.

The winners represent the full breadth of science and scholarship. They are, for example, studying the positive aspects of ADHD, the 'appetite' of cancer cells, the influence of social media on the public’s appreciation of science, and the relationship between psychological issues and the use of addictive substances.

Source: KNAW
Photography: Barbara Kieboom