Description of research and teaching

Anu-Katriina Pesonen is full professor in experimental mind and brain research at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki. She also acts as Vice Dean of research.

She leads an interdisciplinary Sleep & Mind Research Group, combining methods and designs from psychology, medicine, and neurosciences. The team develops experimental interventions to explore the sleep-related dynamics in stress, memory function and emotional regulation. She focuses on experimental research and sleep EEG analytics to increase understanding on the sleep mechanisms and find novel therapeutic tools to improve sleep.

Academic milestones

2004 PhD in Psychology, University of Helsinki

2006 Title of Docent (corresponds to adjunct professor) in educational and developmental psychology, University of Helsinki

2008 Title of Docent (corresponds to adjunct professor) in personality psychology, University of Tampere

2009 Speciality in Clinical Child Psychology and Educational Psychology, an academic, clinical diploma

2015 Professor of clinical and developmental psychology (6-year position), University of Helsinki

2020 Professor of experimental mind and brain reserarch, University of Helsinki

2022- Vice Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki (Academic Affairs in 2022-2023 and Research Affairs 2024 onward)