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Biography
Positions & Affiliations
Professor of Translational Neuromodeling & Computational Psychiatry, Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich & ETH Zurich
Director, Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Zurich
External Scientific Member, Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Cologne
Biosketch
Klaas Enno Stephan is a computational neuroscientist and medical doctor. He is Full Professor for Translational Neuromodeling & Computational Psychiatry at the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich.
His scientific work covers the entire translational pipeline, from the development of disease theories via the creation of computational methods to their application in clinical studies. A central goal is the development of clinically useful “computational assays” for psychiatry and psychosomatics. Based on generative models of brain activity and behaviour, the hope is that such assays will support more precise diagnostics and individualized treatment recommendations, leading to a transformation of clinical practice and redefinition of mental diseases. Current research foci include psychosis and brain-body interactions in fatigue and depression.
In order to enable the clinical validation of his work, Klaas founded the Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU) at Zurich, an interdisciplinary institution with the mission to translate advances in computational neuroscience into tools for clinical practice. The TNU assembles computational scientists and clinicians under one roof and operates a dedicated research clinic for evaluating the diagnostic and prognostic utility of computational assays in prospective patient studies.
His track record includes pathophysiological theories of schizophrenia, fatigue and depression, the development of open source and widely used computational tools (e.g. for investigating brain connectivity, Bayesian model selection) as well as numerous studies on psychiatric and psychosomatic disease mechanisms. His work has been recognized by various awards and honours, including the Wiley Young Investigator Award for Human Brain Mapping and election to the Max Planck Society.
Publications & FAQ