prof. dr. H.M. (Hanna) van Loo

Education

Philosophy, MA, University of Groningen (2007, cum laude)

Medicine, MD, University of Groningen (2010, cum laude)

Doctorate in Psychiatry, PhD, University of Groningen (2015, cum laude)

Psychiatrist, University Medical Center Groningen (2020)

Current positions

Talent Track Associate Professor (Adjunct Hoogleraar), Department of Psychiatry, UMCG (since 2025)

Psychiatrist, Outpatient Department for Mood Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, UMCG (since 2020)

Previous positions

Postdoctoral Fellow, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA (2016-2017)

Research Affiliate Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research at the Broad Institute, Boston, MA, USA (0.2 FTE, 2017-2023)

Postdoctoral Fellow and Talent Track Assistant Professor, University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands (2015-2025)

Research expertise

My research is characterized by an interdisciplinary approach to improve the understanding of psychiatric disorders, in particular their familial transmission. I combine insights from clinical psychiatry, genetics, and philosophy of science and use advanced statistical and epidemiological methods in large population cohorts. My main areas of expertise include clinical psychiatry, genetic and environmental risk factors of psychiatric disorders, nosology, philosophy of psychiatry.

Current collaborations (selection)

• Pathways of Functional and Internalizing Disorders (PATHFINDER consortium). I am the principal investigator of this international consortium studying the genetic and environmental causes of depression, anxiety, and functional disorders.
• Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Institute of Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics (Kenneth Kendler, Nathan Gillespie et al.)
• State University of New York Downstate Health Sciences University (Roseann Peterson et al.)
• Biobanks Netherlands Internet Collaboration (BIONIC, Dorret Boomsma, Brenda Penninx et al).
• Data science in psychopathology: gold rush in the data mine (VICI project Jan-Willem Romeijn, philosophy of psychiatry)

Grants (selection)

In total I have received >2,5 million euro for my research, including:

• NIMH R01 grant “An integrative approach to the etiology of internalizing disorders in the Lifelines Cohort” (>1,6 million USD, 2021-2025, PI) 
• NIMH R01 grant “Using transmitted and untransmitted gene networks to identify molecular pathways to substance use and misuse” (>600,000 USD, 2020-2024, co-investigator)
• VENI grant “Genetic nurture – how parental genes influence their children’s risk of depression through the environment” (250,000 euro, 2019-2024, PI)
• NARSAD Young Investigator grant “Disentangling the genetics of depression” (70,000 USD, 2017, PI)

Honors and awards (selection)

• Young Academy Groningen, elected member (2020-2025).
• Dutch Neuroscience Meeting Young Talent Prize 2020.
• 68^th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting 2018.
• Ramaer Medal 2017 – Biennial prize for the most meritorious contribution to psychiatric research in the Netherlands.
• Wierenga-Rengerink PhD Prize 2016 – Annual prize for the best PhD thesis of the University of Groningen.

Scientific output (selection)

• >40 peer-reviewed publications in psychiatry in Q1 journals including Molecular Psychiatry, Psychological Medicine, BMC Medicine, The British Journal of Psychiatry, Nature Genetics.
• 5 peer-reviewed articles in philosophy in Q1 journals including Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics, Philosophy, Psychiatry & Psychology, Behavioural and Brain Sciences, Rationality and Society. 

Public outreach

I am the co-host of the “In Science” podcast of the University of Groningen

I recorded videos on genetic nurture and loneliness and depression