PhD Students
PhD Students
Stress and Anxiety Research Lab
Director: Prof. Alexandre Heeren, Ph.D.
Université catholique de Louvain and Belgian National Science Foundation (F.R.S-FNRS)
Welcome
The Stress and Anxiety Research Lab (STAR Lab), led by Prof. Alexandre Heeren, is part of the Psychological Sciences Research Institute and the Institute of Neuroscience at UCLouvain in Belgium. Our lab focuses on both fundamental and translational research that explores the cognitive and emotional aspects of anxiety and stress-related phenomena. We use innovative quantitative modeling, experimental methods, and state-of-the-art neuroscientific approaches. Since 2022, we have also placed a marked emphasis on addressing climate change anxiety and the mental health issues colliding with this global challenge.
Our research encompasses several key axes: 1) examining the neurocognitive and emotional mechanisms of anxiety and related phenomena—such as attentional bias, worry, emotion regulation, top-down attention control, and appraisal processes—through experimental and intensive longitudinal studies; 2) applying quantitative modeling methods, especially network analysis and time-series analysis, to understand their temporal dynamics and interrelationships; 3) investigating both their adaptive and maladaptive consequences; and 4) actively pursuing translational research agendas (e.g., CBT, neuromodulation, cognitive training) aimed at targeting and alleviating maladaptive anxiety responses while promoting their adaptive forms. Over the years, our lab has consistently engaged in projects that investigate the (neuro)cognitive and affective processes typically involved in anxiety-related psychopathology across various neurological and mental disorders, including addiction, tinnitus, depression, and co-occurring disorders. Our aim is to examine their potential transdiagnostic characteristics and ultimately provide clinical guidance for addressing other mental health issues. Reflecting on our lab's experiences with different methodological approaches, we have also increasingly focused on research methods practices and development.
To learn more about our research, please visit our pages dedicated to our publications and the current research interests of our lab members. Notably, at its dawn in 2019, our lab was featured in a video documentary [click here to access the video] aimed at showcasing our research activities; it is available in French with English captions. We encourage you to watch the video to discover more about us!