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World-leading stress neurobiologist recognised by UCC
One of the world’s leading neuroscientists has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Science by University College Cork (UCC).
Professor Carmen Sandi leads the Laboratory of Behavioural Genetics at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland. Her research looks at how stress literally rewires the brain — changing how we think, make decisions, and connect with others. Her findings have major implications for mental health, education, leadership, and public policy.
How stress rewires the brain
Her current research investigates the impact and mechanisms whereby stress affects brain function and cognition, with a focus on learning and memory processes, social behaviours and psychiatric disorders - such as anxiety, depression and pathological aggression.
"Our physiological stress response helps us mobilise our body’s resources to cope with challenges, and this is great help for our daily lives and very adaptive. However, all that mobilization of energy, when is excessive or chronic can impinge damage in our body and brain cells and that’s why learning how to best manage our body energy sources and their use is critical to sustain health," Professor Sandi said.
Professor Sandi carried out her PhD at the Cajal Institute in Madrid, followed by postdoctoral training at the University of Bordeaux and the UK Open University, and held an Associate Professor position at UNED University in Madrid before joining EPFL. Carmen has published over 280 research articles and contributed to several books. She has received major international distinctions, including the first Ron de Kloet Prize for Stress Research (2018), the John Paul Scott Award for Research on Aggression (2020), and the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) Award (2025).
Later this month, Professor Sandi will receive the Mika Salpeter Lifetime Achievement from the Society for Neuroscience in the US for promoting the professional advancement of women in neuroscience, and she is the 2026 recipient of the Chica and Heinz Schaller Foundation Award in Translational Neuroscience by the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS).
Powerful EDI advocate
Professor Sandi is a powerful advocate for enhancing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in research and academia. She is the founder and co-President of the Swiss Stress Network and the Global Stress and Resilience Network and also founded the ALBA Network for Diversity and Inclusion in Brain Sciences - an international alliance dedicated to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion across the global brain research community.
"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. Science is a truly global endeavour, and this honour celebrates not only individual achievement but also the collective pursuit of knowledge that transcends borders," Professor Sandi said.
Professor Sandi has held major leadership roles in the neuroscience community, including being co-founder and current co-president of the Global Stress and Resilience Network (GSRNet), serving as Director of the EPFL Brain Mind Institute, and as President of the Federation of FENS, the European Brain and Behaviour Society (EBBS), and the Cajal Advanced Neuroscience Training Programme.
Professor John Cryan, Vice President of Research and Innovation UCC, said: "I am delighted that UCC is recognising Professor Carmen Sandi, a globally leading neuroscientist, with an honorary degree in science. 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."