Carmen Sandi awarded honorary doctorate by University College Cork
Carmen Sandi. Credit: EPFL
EPFL neuroscientist Carmen Sandi has been awarded an honorary doctorate from University College Cork in Ireland.
University College Cork (UCC) has announced that it has awarded an honorary doctorate to EPFL Professor Carmen Sandi.
“I am delighted that UCC is recognising Professor Carmen Sandi, a globally leading neuroscientist, with an honorary degree in science,” says Professor John Cryan, Vice President of Research and Innovation at UCC. “Her groundbreaking research has broken barriers in our understanding of how stress shapes the brain and behaviour. As founder of the ALBA Network, she has helped give voice, visibility, and momentum to a global movement for fairness in science. Her advocacy resonates deeply, shaped by her own career in a field that did not always welcome women’s voices.”
Sandi is a professor at EPFL’s Brain Mind Institute within the School of Life Sciences, where she directs the Laboratory of Behavioural Genetics. Her research has profoundly advanced our understanding of how stress and anxiety impact brain function and behavior.
Sandi's work combines approaches from pharmacology, neurochemistry, genetics, behavioral economics, and neuroimaging to elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying cognition and emotion. Recent studies from her lab have focused on the mesolimbic system, mitochondrial function in motivation, and the long-term effects of early life adversity on mental health. Her goal is to translate fundamental discoveries into therapeutic strategies for psychiatric disorders linked to stress and social dysfunction.
"It is a profound honour to receive this recognition from University College Cork—an institution with a deep commitment to discovery, education, and societal impact,” says Sandi. “Science is a truly global endeavour, and this honour celebrates not only individual achievement but also the collective pursuit of knowledge that transcends borders.”