Åsa Wallén-Mackenzie, PhD

Åsa Wallén-Mackenzie holds the chair in molecular physiology at Uppsala University, in Sweden. Åsa Wallén-Mackenzie holds the chair in molecular physiology at Uppsala University, in Sweden. She earned her PhD in 2002 from the department of cell and molecular biology at the Karolinska Institute, in Stockholm, and completed postdoctoral studies at AstraZeneca in transgenics and comparative genomics, and at Uppsala University in neuroscience. Her research is aimed at increasing the understanding of how distinct neurons within the ventral tegmental area and the subthalamic nucleus contribute to aspects of complex behaviors using transgenic mice as model systems. The goal is to contribute knowledge toward improved prevention and intervention of dysregulated goal-directed behavior in Parkinson’s disease and mood and substance use disorders, ranging from motor impairment to emotional and cognitive dysfunction.