Janina Seubert
Senior Forskare | Docent
E-postadress: janina.seubert@ki.se
Telefon: +46852482471
Besöksadress: Nobels väg 9, 17165 Solna
Postadress: K8 Klinisk neurovetenskap, K8 Psykologi Seubert, 171 77 Stockholm
Del av:
- Institutionen för klinisk neurovetenskap
- Avdelningen för psykologi
- Näringsneurovetenskap – Janina Seuberts forskargrupp
Om mig
- I am a cognitive neuroscientist with a background in functional neuroimaging
of perception and emotion in healthy populations and patients with
psychiatric illness. Before joining the Psychology Division at KI in 2014, I
worked at the Monell Chemical Senses Center and the University of
Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, USA, where I began to study cortical
integration of smell and taste during food perception. I am currently
affiliated with the Psychology Division at the Clinical Neuroscience
Department, where I lead the Nutritional Neuroscience Lab that conducts
experimental work on odor-taste integration
(see https://ki.se/en/cns/janina-seuberts-research-group for details). I am
also affiliated with the Center for Eating Disorder Innovation
(CEDI, https://ki.se/en/meb/cedi-centre-for-eating-disorders-innovation)
where I study the processing of olfactory reward in anorexia nervosa and
binge eating disorders.
I am a member of the Young Academy of Sweden-in this role, I try to increase
public awareness for the importance of basic science and try to work towards
a more international and diverse academia. Find out more here:
https://www.sverigesungaakademi.se/ [1]
2006 Master of Science in Neuro-Cognitive Psychology, LMU Munich, Germany
2010 PhD in Clinical Neuroscience, RWTH Aachen University
2010-2014 Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Pennsylvania/Monell Chemical
Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
2015-2019 Assistant Professor (Forskarassistent), Department of Clinical
Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet
2020- Principal Researcher (Senior Forskare), Department of Clinical
Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet
2021- Docent in Psychology, Karolinska Institutet
[1] https://www.sverigesungaakademi.se/
Forskningsbeskrivning
- The identification of food objects, and decision whether or not to eat them
at a particular point in time, is crucial for our survival, and depends
heavily on the ability to remember associations between sensory information
from different modalities. My current research studies the neural networks
which permit the identification of smells in the environment, their
integration with visual and gustatory cues, and the assessment of their
behavioral relevance. In particular, I use structural and functional MRI as
well as psychophysical and psychophysiological recordings to investigate the
role of these networks for the maintenance of human health, as related to,
for example, disease avoidance and appetite regulation.
I am Principal Investigator on the project "Perceptual decision-making about
food flavor in the mouth, and its role in food intake regulation" funded by
the Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet), from 2019-2022 and the
project "Metabolisk reglering av anticipatoriska matbelöningsupplevelser -
från perceptuella mekanismer till kliniska implikationer" from 2023-2026.
I am also awardee of an ERC Starting Grant (2021-2026). The goal of my
project OLFLINK is to investigate how new flavor preferences are formed, and
how they are regulated by signals from the digestive tract. With this
knowledge we aim to provide insights that can explain why it is so difficult
to overcome our preferences for familiar food flavors in favor of healthier
or more sustainable options, and thus inspire public health efforts directed
towards dietary change.
Undervisning
- I am currently course leader for the elective courses "Introduktion till
klinisk neuropsykologi" (https://utbildning.ki.se/course/1QA129/22-23) and
"Introduktion till klinisk neurovetenskap"
(https://utbildning.ki.se/course-syllabus/1QA133).
I am also chair of the KI psychology internationalization committee
(https://utbildning.ki.se/student/psykologprogrammet/utlandsstudier)
My team and I accept applications for research internships and student theses
on a rolling basis. Please send me an email if you are interested.
Artiklar
- Article: BRAIN RESEARCH. 2025;1864:149812Seidel L; Kilteni K; Lundstrom JN; Seubert J
- Article: NATURE COMMUNICATIONS. 2025;16(1):8252Khorisantono PA; Veldhuizen MG; Seubert J
- Article: APPETITE. 2025;204:107717Savva A; Dijkman R; Bulik CM; Seubert J
- Journal article: NATURE REVIEWS PSYCHOLOGY. 2024;3(12):804-820Vetter P; Badde S; Ferre ER; Seubert J; Shinn-Cunningham B
- Article: FOOD QUALITY AND PREFERENCE. 2024;119:105211Khorisantono PA; Fondberg R; Lundstrom JN; Seubert J
- Article: CORTEX. 2021;139:198-210Porada DK; Regenbogen C; Freiherr J; Seubert J; Lundstrom JN
- Article: CHEMICAL SENSES. 2021;46:bjab003Fondberg R; Lundstrom JN; Seubert J
- Article: NEUROIMAGE. 2020;211:116600Seubert J; Kalpouzos G; Larsson M; Hummel T; Backman L; Laukka EJ
- Article: JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES A-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND MEDICAL SCIENCES. 2020;75(3):603-610Palmquist E; Larsson M; Olofsson JK; Seubert J; Backman L; Laukka EJ
- Article: NEUROSCIENCE. 2019;418:254-265Porada DK; Regenbogen C; Seubert J; Freiherr J; Lundstrom JN
- Article: CEREBRAL CORTEX. 2019;29(7):3023-3033Lundstrom JN; Regenbogen C; Ohla K; Seubert J
- Article: NEUROLOGY. 2019;92(7):e700-e709Dintica CS; Marseglia A; Rizzuto D; Wang R; Seubert J; Arfanakis K; Bennett DA; Xu W
- Journal article: ALZHEIMERS & DEMENTIA. 2018;14(7S_Part_4):p248-p249Dintica CS; Marseglia A; Rizzuto D; Wang R; Seubert J; Bennett DA; Xu W
- Article: APPETITE. 2018;125:244-252Fondberg R; Lundstrom JN; Bloechl M; Olsson MJ; Seubert J
- Article: HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING. 2018;39(3):1313-1326Regenbogen C; Seubert J; Johansson E; Finkelmeyer A; Andersson P; Lundstrom JN
- Article: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF LIPID SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. 2017;119(12)Borg S; Seubert J
- Article: JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES A-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND MEDICAL SCIENCES. 2017;72(8):1072-1079Seubert J; Laukka EJ; Rizzuto D; Hummel T; Fratiglioni L; Backman L; Larsson M
- Article: CHEMICAL SENSES. 2017;42(4):309-318Sjolund S; Larsson M; Olofsson JK; Seubert J; Laukka EJ
- Article: NEUROBIOLOGY OF AGING. 2016;38:118-126Larsson M; Hedner M; Papenberg G; Seubert J; Backman L; Laukka EJ
- Article: HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING. 2015;36(5):1662-1676Seubert J; Ohla K; Yokomukai Y; Kellermann T; Lundstrom JN
- Article: BRITISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY. 2015;206(3):198-205Regenbogen C; Kellermann T; Seubert J; Schneider DA; Gur RE; Derntl B; Schneider F; Habel U
- Article: PLOS ONE. 2014;9(5):e98347Seubert J; Gregory KM; Chamberland J; Dessirier J-M; Lundstroem JN
- Article: CEREBRAL CORTEX. 2013;23(10):2448-2456Seubert J; Freiherr J; Frasnelli J; Hummel T; Lundstroem JN
- Article: NEUROIMAGE. 2013;66:333-342Seubert J; Freiherr J; Djordjevic J; Lundstroem JN
- Article: BRAIN AND COGNITION. 2011;76(3):353-363Satterthwaite TD; Wolf DH; Pinkham AE; Ruparel K; Elliott MA; Valdez JN; Overton E; Seubert J; Gur RE; Gur RC; Loughead J
- Article: NEUROIMAGE. 2010;53(2):746-756Seubert J; Kellermann T; Loughead J; Boers F; Brensinger C; Schneider F; Habel U
- Article: JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY & NEUROSCIENCE. 2010;35(3):185-194Seubert J; Loughead J; Kellermann T; Boers F; Brensinger CM; Habel U
- Journal article: NEUROIMAGE. 2009;47:s182Seubert J; Kellermann T; Boers F; Loughead J; Habel U
- Article: SCHIZOPHRENIA BULLETIN. 2009;35(4):816-825Giersch A; Lalanne L; Corves C; Seubert J; Shi Z; Foucher J; Elliott MA
- Article: CHEMICAL SENSES. 2009;34(1):77-84Seubert J; Rea AF; Loughead J; Habel U
- Article: NEUROCASE. 2008;14(2):204-219Seubert J; Humphreys GW; Mueller HJ; Gramann K
- Journal article: SCHIZOPHRENIA RESEARCH. 2008;102(1-3):119Elliott M; Lalanne L; Corves C; Seubert J; Foucher J; Giersch A
- Journal article: SCHIZOPHRENIA RESEARCH. 2008;102(1-3):146-147Seubert J; Boers F; Mathiak K; Loughead J; Habel U
- Visa fler
Alla övriga publikationer
- Preprint: PSYARXIV. 2025Seidel L; Kilteni K; Lundström J; Seubert J
- Preprint: BIORXIV. 2025Khorisantono PA; Veldhuizen MG; Seubert J
- Conference publication: CHEMICAL SENSES. 2024;49Khorisantono PA; Veldhuizen MG; Seubert J
- Preprint: PSYARXIV. 2024Savva A; Dijkman R; Bulik C; Seubert J
- Book chapter: SMELL, TASTE, EAT: THE ROLE OF THE CHEMICAL SENSES IN EATING BEHAVIOUR. 2024;p. 75-90Khorisantono PA; Seubert J
- Preprint: PSYARXIV. 2023Khorisantono PA; Fondberg R; Lundström J; Seubert J
- Conference publication: CHEMICAL SENSES. 2023;48Seidel L; Seubert J
- Conference publication: CHEMICAL SENSES. 2023;48Savva A; Guitart-Masip M; Bulik CM; Seubert J
- Preprint: PSYARXIV. 2020Fondberg R; Lundström J; Seubert J
- Conference publication: CHEMICAL SENSES. 2019;44(7):E73Wilson D; Seubert J
- Book chapter: SPRINGER HANDBOOK OF ODOR: SPRINGER HANDBOOKS. 2017;p. 99-100Seubert J; Regenbogen C; Habel U; Lundström JN
- Conference publication: CHEMICAL SENSES. 2015;40(7):666-667Seubert J; Laukka EJ; Hummel T; Fratiglioni L; Backman L; Larsson M
- Conference publication: CHEMICAL SENSES. 2015;40(7):536Parma V; Coutanche M; Seubert J; Fondberg R; Hackl L; Ahs F; Lundstrom JN
- Editorial comment: FRONTIERS IN HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE. 2014;8:822Klasen M; Kreifelts B; Chen Y-H; Seubert J; Mathiak K
- Conference publication: JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE. 2013;:176Seubert J; Ohla K; Yokomukai Y; Lundstrom J
- Editorial comment: JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE. 2012;32(6):1918-1919Seubert J; Ohla K
Forskningsbidrag
- Swedish Research Council1 January 2023 - 31 December 2026Human food consumption habits pose a fundamental problem for public health and environmental sustainability, but the complex interactions between homeostatic needs and the desire to eat remain poorly understood. This project aims to delineate the mechanisms by which metabolic states (hunger/satiety) regulate reward attribution to sensory food stimuli, making it difficult to resist flavorful meals when we are hungry and to continue eating when we are full. Study 1 will behaviorally assess the specificity of metabolic modulation to the olfactory modality and the food content of the anticipatory reward stimulus, and probe implicit effects on reward-seeking behavior with the help of a novel ecologically relevant adaption of the incentive delay paradigm. Study 2 will use multivariate fMRI analyses to identify differences in perceptual stimulus encoding during hunger and satiety, and determine invigorating effects of anticipatory food reward on sensory-striatal connectivity. We will then seek to understand the impact of dysregulation in this circuitry for disturbed eating behaviorthe final two studies will, on a behavioral and neuroanatomical level, pinpoint the stages of anticipatory reward regulation where eating disorder patients show deficits relative to controls. Taken together, this project will answer fundamental questions about human food intake regulation, and provide a starting point for development of intervention strategies for dysregulated food consumption behavior.
- European Research Council1 May 2021 - 30 April 2026To change human diets is an urgent global health and sustainability goalyet, overcoming preferences for familiar food flavors in favor of healthier or more sustainable options remains a major challenge. Odor-taste associative learning is the principal perceptual support process for flavor preference formation and retrieval. Mechanistic insight into the cortical processes that transfer appetitive properties of an odor from the mouth onto environmental objects is, however, almost completely absent. As a result, fundamental questions about the processes that drive the acquisition of new flavor preferences, and their regulation by signals from the digestive tract, still remain to be answered. OLFLINK will uncover processes that link olfactory perception inside and outside the mouth across three nested levels of investigation that are usually studied in separation. In doing so, I propose to discover key factors that facilitate or hinder acquisition of new flavor preferences. Specifically, I will 1: determine the distributed CODE by which odors acquire and evoke taste associations (WP1), 2: delineate the cortical CONTROL mechanisms that facilitate encoding and retrieval of odor-taste associations in the light of contextual variability (WP2), and 3: determine the interactions with digestive feedback that REGULATE this flexible coding system during flavor preference acquisition and retrieval (WP3). This final step especially provides insight into the bodys ability to adjust learning and retrieval of food preferences based on nutritional needs, and has potential to transform our thinking about the biological basis of maladaptive eating patterns. The novel insights from OLFLINK will fill the knowledge gap that currently exists between the mechanisms driving perceptual experiences during food consumption and the subsequent evaluation of food in the outside world, and will inspire the development of novel interventions to facilitate dietary changes over the life course.
- Swedish Research Council1 December 2018 - 31 December 2021
- Swedish Research Council1 January 2015 - 31 December 2017
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft1 January 2012 - 31 December 2014
Anställningar
- Senior Forskare, Klinisk neurovetenskap, Karolinska Institutet, 2022-
Examina och utbildning
- Docent, Psykologi, Karolinska Institutet, 2021
- PhD, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic medicine, RWTH Aachen University, 2010
- Master of Science, Psykologi, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 2006
- Bachelor of Science in Neuro-Cognitive Psychology, Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 2005
Uppdrag
- Studierektor, 1QA133 Introduktion till kognitiv neurovetenskap, Karolinska Institutet, https://utbildning.ki.se/student-pa-ki/alla-kurs-och-programwebbar/introduktion-till-kognitiv-neurovetenskap-15-hp, 2022-
- Studierektor, 1QA129 Introduktion till klinisk neuropsykologi, Karolinska Institutet, https://utbildning.ki.se/student-pa-ki/alla-kurs-och-programwebbar/introduktion-till-klinisk-neuropsykologi-75-hp, 2021-
Priser och utmärkelser
- Award for Research Excellence in the Psychophysics of Human Taste and Smell, The Award for Research Excellence in the Psychophysics of Human Taste and Smell is awarded annually to an outstanding junior scientist in the field of psychophysics of human taste or olfaction. The research record should provide evidence of excellence and the promise to emerge as a leader in the field. The award is $2, 000 and is given during the Welcome/Awards Ceremony on opening night of the Annual Meeting., Association for Chemoreception Sciences, https://achems.org/web/awards-past.php, 2024
- Member of the Young academy of Sweden, Sveriges Unga Akademi, 2021
- Hans Heimann Prize, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Nervenheilkunde (DGPPN), https://www.dgppn.de/preise/promotionspreis-hans-heimann-preis.html#:~:text=Dr., im%20November%20in%20Berlin%20verliehen., 2010
Handledning
Handledning till doktorsexamen
- Leonie Seidel, 2022-
- Androula Savva, 2021-
- Fondberg Robin, 2021
- Danja Porada, An object's smell in the multisensory brain : how our senses interact during olfactory object processing, https://www.dissertations.se/dissertation/7157abe627/, 2021
Handledning av postdoktorala forskare
- Lucile Rey, 2024-
- Putu Khorisantono, 2021-
Uppdrag i kommitté
- Medlem, Kungliga vetenskapsakademins kommitté för internationella frågor, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, https://www.kva.se/om-oss/organisation/kommitten-for-internationella-fragor/, 2024-2026
- Ordförande, Invalspanel, Sveriges Unga Akademi, Sveriges Unga Akademi, 2023-2024
- Medlem, L'Oréal for women in Science prize committee, L'Oreal Foundation, https://sverigesungaakademi.se/barn-och-samhalle/klimat-och-ai-forskning-i-fokus-for-2023-ars-mottagare-av-loreal-unesco-for-women-in-science-priset/, 2022-2023
- Ordförande, Psykologprogrammets internationella kommitté (PINK), Karolinska Institutet, https://utbildning.ki.se/student-pa-ki/alla-kurs-och-programwebbar/psykologprogrammet/utlandsstudier, 2022-
- Medlem, KID panel, Karolinska Institutet, 2022-2023
Gästforskning och resestipendier
- Visiting Researcher, Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Research visit financed by Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation, 2013-2013
Utvärdering av avhandlingsarbete
- Dominika Radziun, Defence chairperson, Karolinska Institutet, Body perception and brain plasticity in blind and sighted individuals, https://openarchive.ki.se/xmlui/handle/10616/48562, 2023
- Doris Schicker, Examination board member, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Factors influencing Human Olfaction and Influences of Odors on Humans in the Context of Food and Cosmetics, 2023
- Zakaryah Abdulkarim, Examination board member, Karolinska Institutet, Limb ownership and voluntary action : human behavioral and neuroimaging studies, https://openarchive.ki.se/xmlui/handle/10616/47314, 2020
Expert
- Evaluator of research applications in international competition, grant reviewer, Wellcome Trust, 2024-2024
- Evaluator of research applications in international competition, grant reviewer, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, 2024-2024
- Evaluator of research applications in international competition, Member of evaluation Panel, Psychology, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, 2023-2024
- Evaluator of research applications in international competition, grant reviewer, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, 2023-2024
- Evaluator of research applications in international competition, grant reviewer, Israel Science Foundation, 2022-2022