Steven Laureys

Steven Laureys MD PhD FEAN is a neurologist and neuroscientist recognized for his expertise in neuroplasticity, consciousness and cognition. He currently is Chairholder of the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Neuroplasticity, Full Professor at Laval University, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Quebec, CANADA and Invited Professor at BIDMC, Harvard Medical School, Boston. He also is Research Director at the National Fund for Scientific Research and founder of the ‘Coma Science Group’ and GIGA Consciousness Research Unit at Liège University and the Centre Cerveau at the Liège University Hospital in BELGIUM. With his team and collaborators, he uses neuroimaging to study neuroplasticity and recovery from brain disease and trauma (concussion, coma, locked-in syndrome , vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness and minimally conscious states) but also brain death, near death experiences, sleep, anesthesia, hypnosis and meditation. Prof Laureys is a promoter of complementary medicine and sustainable mental wellbeing and co-signer of the Cambridge Declaration on Animal Consciousness. He is a highly cited neuroscientist with over 570 scientific articles (H-index 145) and is author of several popular books including “The No-Nonsense Meditation Book”. Dr Laureys is a fellow of the European Academy of Neurology and Belgian Royal Academy of Medicine and recipient of numerous awards (e.g., Max Planck Institute, Association of the Scientific Study of Consciousness, European Award in Medicine, European Academy of Sciences and Society of Cognitive Neuroscience). He is co-founder of Mind Care International Foundation.