Collegium Helveticum
Switzerland
fellow
Alex Kwan
2026-2027
Home institution
Cornell University, US
Country of origin (home institution)
United States
Discipline(s)
Neuroscience and cognitive science
Theme(s)
Health
Fellowship dates
›
Biography
Alex Kwan is a neuroscientist broadly interested in the neurobiology of drugs for treating mental illnesses. His research has revealed how ketamine and psychedelics act in the brain to enhance neural plasticity. His lab at Cornell University (US) is committed to open science by sharing data and code from its recent studies.
Originally from Hong Kong, Alex received a BASc in engineering physics from Simon Fraser University (CA) and a PhD in applied physics from Cornell University (US). Alex's research has been featured by major outlets such as The Economist, Newsweek, and NPR's All Things Considered. He has received honors including the NARSAD Young Investigator and One Mind Rising Star awards.
Research Project
Modelling Psychedelic Drug Action in the Brain
Psychedelics such as psilocybin can produce lasting improvements in depression after just a single dose. But how do these drugs change the brain to produce effects that outlast the drug itself?
Psychedelics are a class of drugs known for their ability to profoundly alter perception, emotion, and cognition. While these effects have long been recognized, research in recent years has shown that psychedelics such as psilocybin and LSD also hold promise for treating mental illnesses. Clinical studies of psilocybin, the active compound in so-called “magic mushrooms,” indicate that a single administration can lead to lasting improvements in depressive symptoms. Yet despite this therapeutic potential, we still lack a fundamental understanding of how psychedelics act on the brain to produce enduring changes in behavior.
The goal of Alex Kwan’s project is to develop a computational model that captures how psychedelics alter neural activity dynamics in the brain. This model will be an important first step toward a quantitative framework for predicting how psychedelic-evoked neural activity patterns lead to behavioral outcomes.
Research Interests:
Psychadelics; drugs; cognition and emotion; mental illness