Abraham Zangen, PhD

Abraham Zangen is an Associate Professor, the head of the brain and behavior lab and the chair of the biology-psychology program at the Ben-Gurion University in Israel. His Ph.D. studies (1996-2000) suggested a direct role for the brain reward system in the mechanism of antidepressant action. During his postdoctoral studies at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH (2000-2003) with Roy Wise he identified specific brain sites that mediate the rewarding effect of neuropeptides and drugs of abuse. He also studied mechanisms of brain stimulation reward and developed a special coil allowing deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (DTMS) in humans with Mark Hallett (NINDS, NIH). In 2003 he joined the Weizmann Institute as a Senior Scientist in the department of neurobiology and was promoted to the rank of associate professor in 2010. In 2012 he joined the Ben-Gurion University. Since his return to Israel Dr. Zangen is studying mechanisms of impaired neuroplasticity in depression and addiction and the effects of repeated brain stimulation on markers for neuroplasticity and on behavioral outcomes in animal models for depression and addiction. He is also studying physiological outcomes and the potential effectiveness of the unique DTMS coil he has developed for the treatment of depression and addiction.

Prof. Zangen has published over 80 peer reviewed articles, reviews and book chapters, was rewarded with numerous personal prizes for his scientific achievements including the Medical Futures Innovation Award in London, and received several distinguished research grants including NIH and ISF funding.