Parastoo Mohebkhodaei wants to understand how the brain makes choices – and contribute to work that connects basic neuroscience with potential clinical applications.
Parastoo Mohebkhodaei comes into the NAD PhD programme with an interest in how decision-making and reward systems in the brain contribute to behaviour and vulnerability to disorders:
“I applied for this PhD programme because I want to understand how the brain makes choices—especially when those choices become maladaptive or harmful. My background in medical neuroscience showed me how deeply decision-making and reward processes shape human behavior, and I became motivated to study these mechanisms at a level that connects biology, psychology, and clinical relevance. This program offers the interdisciplinary environment, mentorship, and scientific freedom I need to explore these questions in depth and to grow into an independent researcher who can contribute to understanding and treating brain-based disorders,” Parastoo explains.
She will conduct her first lab rotation with PI Anders Fink-Jensen at the University of Copenhagen. Here, she will work on projects related to the neurobiology of cocaine addiction, learning both practical techniques and assisting with data processing and analysis.
Parastoo’s experience living between cultures, studying in both Iran and the Netherlands as well as working both in hospitals and in the laboratory has taught her to approach problems with curiosity, adaptability and persistence. She views research as a process of exploration and discovery, an arena where careful observation and creativity is just as important as technical skills. In her free time, Parastoo likes painting and appreciating art in all its forms. She finds that her artistic side helps her think more creatively and approach problems from different perspectives.