• National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2022

    By: Leanne Rose Vibar, undergraduate student in Psychology at Simon Fraser University   Today, September 30th, 2022, is the second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, honouring Indigenous communities and residential school survivors. It is a day dedicated to all Canadians to engage in meaningful dialogues about the history, legacy, and resilience of First Nations […] Read More

  • Opportunity: Volunteer Research Assistant

    The UBC Behavioral Reward, Affect, and Impulsivity Neuroscience (B.R.A.I.N.) Lab is looking for bright, hardworking student volunteers, with interests in mental health and its treatments, to assist with a research project investigating psilocybin-assisted therapy for treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder. Read More

  • Reflections from The Undergraduate Research Engagement Course

    By: Sydney Penner, undergraduate student in Psychology at Simon Fraser University When I began working as a research assistant in February 2021, I couldn’t have predicted how far my journey with the lab would take me in such a short time. Read More

  • Work-Integrated Learning: Your Futures First Step

    By: Jessica Booth, undergraduate student in Behavioural Neuroscience at the University of British Columbia Read More

What we do

The B.R.A.I.N. Lab focuses on the psycho-neurobiological mechanisms underlying cognitive, affective, and stress-associated aspects of decision-making and impulsivity: specifically, those related to substance use and concurrent mental disorders.

A better understanding of the brain and mind, along with comprehensive models, is essential for treatment development. New approaches are critical in reducing addiction and improving mental health. The B.R.A.I.N. Lab explores promising new methods, such as retraining approach habits, electrophysiological treatments and integrated psychotherapy/psychedelic interventions.

We use subjective assessments, behavioural testing and neuroimaging to study psychopathology and the outcomes of interventions. At the B.R.A.I.N. Lab, we aim to deepen our understanding and facilitate more effective interventions for individuals living with substance use and mental disorders.

Thank you to our funders