Rainer Spanagel is a German scientist, born June 24, 1961. He is a

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other tertiary education, post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin ...

psychopharmacology Psychopharmacology (from Greek ; ; and ) is the scientific study of the effects drugs have on mood, sensation, thinking, behavior, judgment and evaluation, and memory. It is distinguished from neuropsychopharmacology, which emphasizes ...

at the Central Institute of Mental Health (

Mannheim Mannheim (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: or ), officially the University City of Mannheim (), is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, second-largest city in Baden-Württemberg after Stuttgart, the States of Ger ...

) of

Heidelberg University Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg (; ), is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 1386 on instruction of Pope Urban VI, Heidelberg is Germany's oldest unive ...

, where he is director of the Institute of Psychopharmacology. His main research interest is

drug abuse Substance misuse, also known as drug misuse or, in older vernacular, substance abuse, is the use of a drug in amounts or by methods that are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder, differing definitions ...

, especially

alcohol dependence Alcohol dependence is a previous (DSM-IV and ICD-10) psychiatric diagnosis in which an individual is physically or psychologically dependent upon alcohol (also chemically known as ethanol). In 2013, it was reclassified as alcohol use disorder ...

.https://www.zi-mannheim.de/fileadmin/user_upload/downloads/forschung/cv/CV_narrativ/Rainer_Spanagel.pdf His work has been published in multiple publications across prestigious scientific journals. Based on preclinical findings, he pursues three objectives along with other faculty at the Central Institute of Mental Health: 1) The development of new behavioral therapies, pharmacological interventions, and neuromodulatory approaches in addicted patients. 2) To clarify the neurobiological long-term consequences of

and binge drinking in adolescents 3) The identification of risk factors for addictive disorders and development of preventive strategies. General field of study:

Psychopharmacology Psychopharmacology (from Greek ; ; and ) is the scientific study of the effects drugs have on mood, sensation, thinking, behavior, judgment and evaluation, and memory. It is distinguished from neuropsychopharmacology, which emphasizes ...

Addiction Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to use a drug or engage in a behavior that produces natural reward, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use can ...

Research,

Alcohol Alcohol may refer to: Common uses * Alcohol (chemistry), a class of compounds * Ethanol, one of several alcohols, commonly known as alcohol in everyday life ** Alcohol (drug), intoxicant found in alcoholic beverages ** Alcoholic beverage, an alco ...

Abuse Abuse is the act of improper usage or treatment of a person or thing, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices, ...

Education

Spanagel completed his undergraduate studies in

Biology Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. It is a broad natural science that encompasses a wide range of fields and unifying principles that explain the structure, function, growth, History of life, origin, evolution, and ...

at the Universities of

Tübingen Tübingen (; ) is a traditional college town, university city in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, and developed on both sides of the Neckar and Ammer (Neckar), Ammer rivers. about one in ...

and

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

(1983-1989) and his Ph.D. in

Neuropharmacology Neuropharmacology is the study of how drugs affect function in the nervous system, and the neural mechanisms through which they influence behavior. There are two main branches of neuropharmacology: behavioral and molecular. Behavioral neuropharmac ...

from the Max Planck Institute of Neuropharmacology (

Martinsried Martinsried is a village in the municipality of Planegg in Munich district, Bavaria, Germany. It is one of Munich's two science suburbs. Martinsried is best known as the location of the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, the Max Planck Inst ...

, Germany), working under Prof
Albert Herz
(1991). In 1989, he obtained his Diploma in

from the Max Planck Institute of Neuropharmacology (

, Germany). He followed up with his post-doctoral training with Prof. Wolfgang Forth in the Habilitation, Pharmacology & Toxicology Department at the University of Munich (

, Germany) in 1996.

Awards and honors

Spanagel is highly accomplished and has received multiple awards and honors: * 2024 - Animal Research and Ethics Committee (AREC) Annual Award, Research Society of America * 2019 - H. David Archibald Lectureship Award from CAMH, Toronto * 2018 - IBANGS Distinguished Investigator Award * 2017 - European Alcohol Research Award, ESBRA * 2015 - NEATOR Award from American College of Neuropsychopharmacology * 2011 - AGNP Award for Excellence in Psychopharmacology * 2010 - Reinhart-Koselleck-Award from the DFG * 2008 - James B. Isaacson Award * 2005 - Albrecht-Ludwig-Berblinger Award * 2003 - Sir Hans Krebs Award * 1998 - Wilhelm Feuerlein Award for Alcohol Research

References

German neuroscientists Living people Year of birth missing (living people) {{Germany-med-bio-stub