Dea S. Stenbæk

NRU Management Group

Contact

Position:: Assoc. Professor, Psychologist

: Dept. Neurology and Neurobiology Research Unit,
Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet,
Building 8057,
Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
: 3545 6741

Curriculum vitae

Curriculum vitae

Scientific interests:

I am Associate Professor in Consciousness Studies at University of Copenhagen and Neurobiology Research Unit at Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, where I conduct research from an integrated experimental approach with the aim of contributing to an interdisciplinary understanding of neurobiological and psychological factors in human health. My overall research focus is the study of pharmacological manipulations of the serotonin (5-HT) system, where I mainly focus on effects of serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) agonism with psychedelics such as psilocybin and LSD. To understand how 5-HT more broadly is involved in neurocognition in the healthy and disordered brain, I also study associations of various 5-HT receptors using PET imaging, i.e., 5-HT2AR, 5-HT4R, 5-HTT and 5-HT1BR with personality and neurocognition. I am co-founder of Danish Centre for Psychedelic Research (DCPR) and head of Copenhagen University Clinic for Psychedelic Research, where I train students and clinicians in safe administration of psilocybin and supervise psychedelic sessions across studies conducted at DCPR. A key research interest of mine is the effects of ‘extra-pharmacological’ factors, e.g., use of music and psychological setting, on the clinical effects of psilocybin. I am closely affiliated with the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London, United Kingdom, and the Karolinska Institute, Sweden, where I am Co-PI of two studies investigating neurocognitive mechanisms of psilocybin therapy for obsessive compulsive disorder and effect of psilocybin therapy for depression in cancer patients, respectively.

Biography:

2022 -	Head of Copenhagen University Clinic for Psychedelic Research, Department of Psychology
2022	Certified Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music therapist
2020 -	Associate Professor at Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, and Neurobiology Research Unit (NRU), Rigshospitalet
2019 -	External Associate Professor at University of Southern Denmark, Institute of Psychology
2018	Authorized as clinical psychologist by the Danish Supervisory Board of Psychological Practice
2016 - 2019	Post Doc at NRU, Rigshospitalet
2016 - 2017	Clinical psychologist at Clinic of Crisis Psychology, Rigshospitalet
2012 - 2015	PhD student (Neuroscience) at NRU, Rigshospitalet
2011 - 2015	Clinical psychologist at Reden International
2011 -	Specialist-training in Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) psychotherapy.
2011	M.Sc. in Psychology, University of Copenhagen
2009 - 2011	Research assistant at NRU, Rigshospitalet
2006 - 2008	In-service training in Analytical Psychotherapy at the Jung Institute

International relations:

I collaborate with the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London, which is world-leading within the field of psychedelics. As part of an internationalization grant from The Danish Council for Independent Research, I was appointed Honorary Clinical Research Fellow in this group with Professor David Nutt and Clinical Director David Erritzoe. I also collaborate with the Cambridge Cognition Group, which is the leading global provider of neurocognitive assessment tools, including Professor Rebecca Elliott from Manchester University and Professors Barbara Sahakian and Trevor Robbins from Cambridge University.

Supervision and teaching:

I train and supervise MA and PhD level psychology students from Danish universities and abroad. Being part of an interdisciplinary research environment, I have supervised both medical and psychology students.

Research management experience:

As Associate Professor and senior research psychologist I am responsible for conception of research ideas, writing study protocols, project management, communication with all relevant authorities, statistical analyses, and writing of manuscripts for publication in international peer-reviewed journals.

Honors and positions of trust:

2020: Honorary Clinical Research Fellow at the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College, London.
2020: Guest Editor for Frontiers in Psychology/Psychedelic Research Topic.
2020: Honorary member of Danish Network for Psychedelic Research.
2020: Head of DCPR Psychedelic Psychology Group and NRU faculty member, Rigshospitalet.
2022: Core group member of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) network on psychedelic research.

Grants - a total of 28.640.000 DKK:

2022: Project funding (13.670.000 kr.) from the Swedish Research Council (Co-PI)
2022: Sapere Aude (4.400.000 kr.) from The Danish Council for Independent Research (PI)
2022: Scolarstipend (140.000 kr.) from Danish Society of Neurology (Co-PI)
2021: Project funding (336.000 kr.) from The Joint Committee for Nordic Research Councils (PI)
2021: Project funding (2.000.000 kr.) from The Danish Council for Independent Research (PI)
2021: Project funding (500.000 kr) from the Health Foundation (PI)
2021: Scolarstipend (50.000 kr) from Ivan Nielsen Foundation (PI)
2020: Project funding (600.000 kr) from Rigshospitalet’s Research Foundation (Co-PI)
2020: Scholarstipend (150.000 kr) from Danish Society of Neuroscience (Co-PI)
2020: Scholarstipend (150.000 kr) from Novo Nordisk Foundation (Co-PI)
2019: Project funding (1.575.000 kr) from The Danish Council for Independent Research (PI)
2019: Scholarstipend (140.000 kr) from Lundbeck Foundation (Co-PI)
2018: Project funding (200.000 kr) from the Health Foundation (Co-PI)
2017: Project funding (2.000.000 kr) from MVU (Co-PI)
2017: Project funding (250.000 kr) from OUH og Rigshospitalet puljen (Co-PI)
2016: Post doc/project funding (1.844.000 kr) from The Danish Council for Independent Research (Co-PI)
2016: Project funding (400.000 kr) from Augustinusfonden (Co-PI)
2013: Scholarstipend (120.000 kr) from Lundbeckfonden (Co-PI)
2011: Project funding (115.000 kr) from Aase og Ejnar Danielsens Fond (Co-PI).

Selected media appearances:

2020: DR2 Tema lørdag ”DR på syretrip”. Science documentary broadcasted on DR2.
2020: Podcast ”Psykedeliske stoffer afslører dele af bevidstheden, vi tager for givet”. Brainstorm, Videnskab.dk
2020: Podcast ”Psykedelisk”. 24 spørgsmål til professoren med Lone Frank.
2018: Podcast “Magiske svampe påvirker serotoninsystemet”. Interview for Dansk Psykolog Forening.

Publications:

60 accepted peer-reviewed article publications (10 first and 17 last). More than 25 conference abstracts. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5439-4637
My full list of scientific publications can be accessed using the following PubMed search string: Stenbæk-DS [Author].