Brain researcher Iris Sommer wins Stevin Prize: ‘I want to be able to make a difference’

Iris Sommer has been awarded the Stevin Prize for her groundbreaking research into brain functioning, serious psychiatric disorders, and better treatment for female patients. Sommer is Professor of Psychiatry at the UMCG and UG. The Dutch Research Council (NWO) has been awarding this prize to researchers who have made exceptional achievements in the area of knowledge utilization for society since 2018. Together with the Spinoza Prize, it is the highest distinction in the Dutch academic world.

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For everyone with a brain

It still has not sunk in, admits Sommer. She is currently very busy with several deadlines, so she has not been able to take a moment to reflect on winning the prize. ‘But it is a great honour,’ she says. ‘It confirms that my work has really contributed something.’ And it certainly has. The Stevin Prize is specifically awarded to scientists who have made a significant contribution to knowledge utilization. And that is just the area in which Sommer wants to make a difference. From public engagement to communication and outreach, it is all geared towards ‘people being able to benefit from it’. What about solely publishing in scientific journals? Sommer: ‘I would find it such a shame if that were my only contribution.’ Sommer may specialize in patients with psychosis, but she says she ‘takes an interest in anyone who has a brain!’ After all, she believes that the research she conducts is important for everyone who has a brain.

Not cutting corners

The fact that everyone has a brain may work in her favour when communicating her research. Some of her studies have been so striking that they have quickly attracted attention from the mainstream media, such as her study on the influence of gut flora on psychiatric symptoms – i.e. the link between the brain and poo. Other findings, however, are less catchy. For instance, Sommer’s study on how the metabolism of medicines can differ between men and women delivered extremely nuanced and complex findings that need to be communicated with care. ‘They aren’t easy to share, and they are often oversimplified when picked up by others,’ she explains. ‘I’m not saying you cannot communicate these findings, but rather that they require a concise, clear, and complete explanation. If you can do that with care, then it’s a perfect topic for a vlog.’ It’s a game: communicating in an understandable manner on the one hand, and not cutting essential corners on the other.

Sommer is clearly passionate, but also sees sharing knowledge as her duty. ‘Apart from me, my whole team runs on project-based funding, which we have received through various institutions,’ she explains. ‘To a large extent, it stems from public funds, so I am accountable to them. And not only to the public at large, but especially to the patients concerned.’

Fruitful ground for collaboration

Sommer’s work is broad based. In addition to the aforementioned “poo study”, she has also conducted research into hearing voices, hallucinations, tapering off antipsychotics, language analyses to recognize psychiatric disorders, the influence of hormones on the brain, and differences between the male and female brain. What lies at the core of it all? ‘I want to make a difference for people with serious brain disorders,’ Sommer says resolutely. ‘That doesn’t have to take one single route. I would like to approach the brain from multiple perspectives: hormones, the gut, speech, you name it.’ Broad and interdisciplinary collaboration is a logical consequence. ‘That is one of the things I appreciate at the UG and the UMCG. There is extensive expertise and a lot of collaboration, and it is fantastic to be able to link up with other teams. I learn a great deal from the people around me.’ Besides being fun, collaboration is also extremely useful. ‘Mental health lies at the intersection of biology, psychology, and sociology,’ explains Sommer. ‘It isn’t always possible to draw a clear distinction between these three aspects either; it’s a convergence of many different disciplines.’

Medication for women

It always comes back to making a difference, specifically regarding healthcare for female patients. ‘I particularly want to investigate how we can improve treatment for women,’ adds Sommer. ‘I need to stay within my psychiatric field to some extent, but I enjoy pushing the boundaries,’ she laughs. The dosage of many medicines is still based on studies involving men. New treatments have only been seriously studied on women since the year 2000. ‘And we still haven’t tested all the older drugs on women, we just hope that they work!’ Sommer’s team has found strong indications that the menopause affects the metabolism of some medications, and therefore their functioning and side effects. ‘We have shown this for a number of psychiatric drugs, and it is plausible that it could apply to other medicines as well. Because of that, I think this is an issue that deserves much more attention.’

Complicated hormones

The lack of research may not be necessarily due to a lack of interest, admits Sommer. Women could also become pregnant during medical studies, so it is partly for the protection of their unborn children. ‘But the fact that there are so many other things we don’t know about women’s health is also because we find it complicated,’ concludes Sommer. And she understands why. ‘We are now trying to investigate the influence of the menstrual cycle on the brain, but phew, is that complicated!’ After all, how would you know in which phase of the cycle a person was, and how would you manage to scan their brain at that exact moment? Variations between women and hormonal contraception also have to be added to the mix. ‘It is easy to point fingers and to say, “Oh, you’ve all neglected women,” but it really is complex,’ says Sommer. ‘That isn't to say it’s not possible. We’re going to do it!’

Caring for your brain

Sommer is dedicated to better healthcare, but she also wants to express that everyone should take good care of their brain. ‘As a society, we are getting older and older, and so the brain has to live longer too!’ How can we manage that? It will not be popular with students, but staying sober and not smoking are the most crucial tips. What’s more, wearing a bike helmet and not gaining too much weight are also important, as an excess of fat affects the immune system and the brain. It is difficult, but Sommer remains hopeful: ‘When I studied, there was a snack bar on every corner. Now, I just see poké bowls and kimchi, and we smoke a lot less, so I am still hopeful that we are taking better care of our brains.’

Looking to the future

Sommer is therefore optimistic for the future. Thanks to the Stevin Prize, she can certainly make great strides herself. She emphasizes that she did not win the prize alone, but that it was a team effort. ‘It is a fantastic team full of very talented people who have all worked extremely hard,’ she says. ‘They can do everything that I can’t.’ Sommer intends on using the prize to continue the work that she and her team have been doing over the coming years in order to be able to make a real difference.

More information

• NWO Stevin Prize for Iris Sommer
• About the Stevin Prize
• Iris Sommer In Focus
• Iris Sommer