Associate Professor Klein-Flügge has been recognised for her ground-breaking work in neuroscience, particularly in the areas of decision-making and action selection.
Awarded by the Leverhulme Trust, Philip Leverhulme Prizes recognise the achievement of outstanding research scholars whose future career is exceptionally promising, and whose work has made original and significant contributions to knowledge as well as shown sustained international impact.
Only 30 prizes are awarded throughout the UK each year, with the 2024 prizes covering the following subject areas: Classics, Earth Sciences, Physics, Politics and International Relations, Psychology, Visual and Performing Arts. Each prize winner receives £100,000 which can be used for any purpose related to the advancement of their research. The University of Oxford was the only institution this year to have four award winners.
Associate Professor Klein-Flügge's research combines innovative approaches and novel methodology to understand the complexities of the human brain, with a particular focus on motivation and decision making. She said:
I am truly honoured to receive this prestigious prize. This recognition is a testament to the incredible people I've had the fortune to work with throughout my career. Their mentorship and unwavering support have been invaluable - this achievement belongs to them as much as it does to me.
It also reflects the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of science and psychology, highlighting the importance of collaboration across different fields. I believe it's this rich exchange of ideas that truly drives innovation."
Professor Klein-Flügge's intends to use the funds to continue her research on human decision-making and behavioural flexibility. This will involve developing innovative experiments which combine novel ultrasound brain stimulation techniques alongside more realistic methods of measuring people’s behaviour, such as virtual reality simulations or tracking behaviour over time through smartphone apps. This will enable her to explore the causal relationships between different decision-making processes in real-world situations. Her long-term vision is to conduct fundamental research that provides a platform for translation to psychiatric disease.
More information about the Philip Leverhulme Prizes