Judson BrewerView profile
Professor
Dr. Judson Brewer is a Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences and an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University. He serves as Director of Research and Innovation at Brown University’s Mindfulness Center. His work focuses on habit formation, addiction, and behavior change science, integrating mindfulness with neuroscience to develop clinical tools and digital therapeutics. Education: B.A. in Chemistry from Princeton University M.D./Ph.D. from Washington University in St. Louis (thesis: molecular mechanisms of stress hormone regulation of the immune system) Psychiatry residency at Yale University Research Interests: Dr. Brewer’s research explores how mindfulness training disrupts addictive processes by targeting neural reward pathways. Key areas include anxiety management, emotional eating, and smoking cessation interventions. He employs EEG neurofeedback, fMRI, and experience sampling to bridge basic neuroscience with real-world applications, emphasizing mobile health (mHealth) solutions for scalable behavior change. Recent Articles Trends: His latest work focuses on app-based interventions for healthcare professional burnout, feasibility trials in vulnerable populations (e.g., low-income HIV patients), and socio-ecological barriers to dementia prevention. He also validates mindfulness teaching criteria and investigates wearable technology for real-time habit disruption. Scientific Awards: While no formal awards are listed, Dr. Brewer’s TED talk on habit change was the 4th most viewed in 2016 with over 20 million views. His work has been featured on 60 Minutes , The New York Times , and Forbes . Advising and Grants: Dr. Brewer’s clinical trials and programs suggest active grant-funded research, though specific grants or advisees are not listed. His interventions target smoking cessation, anxiety, and eating behaviors, often involving interdisciplinary teams at Brown’s Mindfulness Center. Labs and Teams: He leads the Mindfulness Center’s research team and collaborates globally through the ENIGMA-Meditation consortium. His lab develops app-based programs, such as Craving to Quit (C2Q), and employs innovative methods like sensor reduction in EEG devices to improve neurofeedback applications.









