Anne van den Heuvel wants to investigate the biological systems driving behaviour.
With a master’s degree in Neuroscience and Cognition from the Netherlands, Anne’s research interests include neuroplasticity, motivation and addiction. During the pre-PhD year, she is eager to learn different modalities for imaging the brain and deepen her knowledge in computational analysis. During her first rotation in the Palner Lab at the University of Southern Denmark, she will use MRI & PET scanning to investigate the effects of 2CB, and fear conditioning animals under the influence of 2CB.
Anne was motivated to apply for the NAD PhD programme as it offers a unique collaborative and cross-institutional environment:
“It gives students the freedom to design their own PhD project with a supervisor. I aim to grow into an independent researcher whose work combines analytical depth with diverse perspectives to address real-world questions,” she says.
Anne is deeply passionate about neuroscience and understanding the intricate systems of the brain:
“My life experiences taught me to feel at ease with complexity and to be curious about the patterns beneath it. That instinct to observe and ask why now shapes how I investigate the biological systems that drive behaviour,” she explains.
When she is not pondering complex questions in the lab, Anne enjoys arts and crafts, hiking in nature and spending time with friends.