Hans Forssberg

Hans Forssberg, Professor of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience at the Department for Womens and Children’s Health at the Karolinska Institutet is also an active physician and researcher at the Astrid Lindgren Childrens Hospital at the Karolinska University Hospital. He is also the director of the Stockholm Brain Institute, as well as a member of the Nobel Assembly that selects each year’s Nobel laureate.

Neurodevelopmental disorders
Research focus
The focus is on the development of cognitive and motor functions in healthy individuals and in various neurodevelopmental disorders such as cerebral palsy, ADHD, DCD, autism spectrum disorder and language impairment. The research is translational using several longitudinal and clinical cohorts, as well as various animal models. The overall goal is to understand the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive and motor dysfunctions in order to develop new principles for prevention and intervention.

Key topics
Aetiology:
Studies on the GxE interaction influencing motor and cognitive functions, in particular how some early environmental factors such as stress and gut microbiota influences brain development and behaviour later in life.

Biomarkers:
Develop biomarkers and assessment tools in order to early detect and later follow the disease process or effect of interventions.

Intervention:
Develop new principles for motor and cognitive training and understand the underlying mechanisms.

Commissions of trust
Director, Stockholm Brain Institute
Coordinator, Strategic Research Programme in Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet
Chairman, Centre of Neurodevelopmental Disorders at Karolinska Institutet
Chairman, European Academy of Childhood Disability