معرفی
Michiel van Elk is an Associate Professor at the Unit of Cognitive Psychology within the Institute of Psychology at Leiden University. His work centers on altered states of consciousness (ASCs) induced by psychedelics, meditation, and sensory deprivation, alongside open science initiatives and the psychology of religion/spirituality.
- 2025: Interviewed in National Geographic on the uncertainty of psychedelic therapy's safety/efficacy.
- 2024: Discussed placebo effects and psychedelic research on public platforms.
- 2020: Awarded a Vidi Grant (NWO) to study psychedelics' impact on mental health.
Van Elk leads the Psychedelic, Religious & Self-transcendent & Mystical Experiences Lab at Leiden. His research bridges neuroscience and spirituality, analyzing how ASCs disrupt rigid cognitive patterns and foster emotional breakthroughs. He has critiqued media hype around microdosing while advocating for regulated psychedelic therapy.
Scientific Awards:
- Vidi Grant (2020) - First Dutch government funding for psychedelic research, enabling foundational studies on depression/anxiety treatments.
Van Elk actively communicates science through media, including Technology Networks, New York Times, and Dutch podcasts like De wereld van Sofie. He emphasizes the role of belief and placebo in therapeutic outcomes and explores the neurological basis of mystical experiences.
