News and Events
Welcome to the latest updates from the LMU Institute of Medical Psychology. Stay tuned for cutting-edge research and events in health psychology
We investigate the relationship between stress, emotions, and chronic pain
We are pleased to be part of the international STRESSPAIN consortium, which is funded with 1.9 million euros under the European Union's ERA-NET NEURON program. The aim of the project is to explore the complex connections between stress, negative emotions, and chronic neuropathic pain.
ERA-NET NEURON is a highly competitive European funding program that supports collaboration among research teams across different countries and promotes innovative, transnational projects in the field of neuroscience.
Under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Frauke Nees, our team at the Institute of Medical Psychology at LMU contributes its expertise in clinical and cognitive neuroscience as well as psychobiology. We investigate how emotional and stress-related factors contribute to the development and maintenance of chronic pain and which mechanisms in the brain are involved.
In the STRESSPAIN project, we work closely with partners from Ireland, France, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Slovakia. Together, we combine preclinical and clinical research approaches with modern neuroimaging, molecular biology, and computational methods to gain deeper insights into the underlying processes.
Our long-term goal is to develop new therapeutic and preventive approaches that specifically consider the influence of stress and emotions on pain disorders--and thereby contribute to improving the treatment of chronic pain.
Link to the ERA-NET NEURON newsletter:
Prof. Dr. Frauke Nees Elected to the European Academy of Sciences and Arts
On 20 November 2025, the Senate of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts (Academia Scientiarum et Artium Europaea) elected Prof. Dr. Frauke Nees as a new member.
The Academy’s Senate confirmed her election on 20 November 2025, recognizing her outstanding scientific achievements and her commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and societal responsibility in Europe. The official inauguration of the new members will take place during the Festive Plenary on 7 March 2026.
About the European Academy of Sciences and Arts
Headquartered in Salzburg, the European Academy of Sciences and Arts brings together more than 2,000 distinguished scholars, artists, and intellectuals from across Europe. Its mission is to promote scientific excellence, foster dialogue across disciplines, and address the major societal challenges of our time from an interdisciplinary perspective. The Academy contributes to science policy, accompanies European future-oriented debates, and engages in educational and cultural initiatives.
Prof. Dr. NeesNees, F., Eichler, A., & Banaschewski, T. (2025). Nutzen von Kohortenstudien zur Kinder- und Jugendgesundheit. Monatsschrift Kinderheilkunde, 173(1), 36–41. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00112-024-02092-7 To the article
Prof. Dr. NeesNees, F., Hese, S., Siehl, S., Schepanski, K & Schumann, G. (2024). Naturerleben und Biodiversität. In: Meyer-Lindenberg, A. & Karl, S. (eds.), Psychiatrie in Zeiten globaler Umweltkrisen. Kohlhammer. https://doi.org/10.17433/978-3-17-044347-1 To the article
We look forward to welcoming Prof. Dr. Frauke Nees as the new Director of the Institute of Medical Psychology from 01.10.2025.
Prof. Dr. Frauke Nees is currently Director of the Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology at the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, and Professor of Medical Psychology and Behavioural Neurobiology at Kiel University. Her research centers on behavioral medicine and neuropsychobiological studies of learning, memory processes, and information processing in the brain, particularly in the contexts of pain, stress, including traumatic experiences, and across the lifespan. She also works on applying these insights to develop and empirically evaluate behavioral medicine prevention and rehabilitation programs, incorporating digital tools such as smartphone apps and virtual reality for diverse mental, somatic, and neurological disorders.
