Boomsma Dorret I.

Dorret I. Boomsma is a Full Professor of Biological Psychology at the Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and Head of Department since 1998. She has held positions at VU Amsterdam since 1990, including Associate Professor (1994–1997) and Assistant Professor (1990–1994), preceded by roles in genetics and statistics.

• Education: Psychology (BA cum laude, 1979), Psychophysiology (MA cum laude, 1983), and Quantitative Genetics (PhD cum laude, 1992) from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam; MA in Biological Psychology and Behavior Genetics from University of Colorado.

Her research focuses on the genetic and biological basis of individual differences in behavior, cognition, and health, with emphasis on twinning, longitudinal studies, and etiological pathways to neuropsychiatric traits. She leads the Netherlands Twin Register (NTR) Biobank project, integrating genetic linkage, association, and expression analyses.

Scientific Awards:

• KNAW Merian Prize (2011)
• NARSAD Established Investigator (2011)
• Hendrik Muller Award (2009)
• ERC Advanced Grant (2008)
• Spinoza Premium (2002)

Her leadership in behavioral genetics has attracted substantial funding, enabling her research team to grow from 12 to over 40 members. She actively disseminates findings to academic and public audiences.