Director (CEO)

 
Arjen Brussaard

Became full professor in Experimental Neurophysiology at the VU University Amsterdam and head of the Department of Experimental Neurophysiology in 2000 (untill 2008). Appointed also as director of institute since 2002 in the Faculty of Earth and Life Science and as CEO of the Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam since 2008.

Started his scientific career, after obtaining a PhD in 1989 in Amsterdam, with a postdoctoral period in the lab of Prof. Lorna Role from 1989-1992 at Columbia University in New York (USA). Awarded in 1992 as a senior research fellow by Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences (KNAW), which is when he started his own research-group focussing of GABA-synapse function and oxytocin neuronal regulation. Got tenure in 1997 and thereafter continued his GABA-synapse and other types of research untill recently. Meanwhile published more than 50 papers in prominent journals like Science, Neuron, Journal of Neuroscience and Journal of Physiology.

With a lot of experience in academic research but also being responsible for an increasing population of neuroscientists in the Life Sciences domain, he became interested in leadership around 2004. Followed several intervision courses aimed at executive management since then. Current buzzwords are ‘network-organization, integrative neurosciences, translational strategy, curriculum development and knowledge-industry’.
 
Word from the director