Alfhild Grönbladh elected new chair of SAD

What does a new chair of SAD have on her agenda?
I have just taken office but already have quite a lot on my desk. This week I will be chairing a board meeting where we will decide on the theme for our association’s Scientific Meeting 2026. It is an arena that will bring together addiction researchers from all over Sweden and which we have been pleasantly entrusted to arrange here in Uppsala.

What do you hope to bring as new chair?
Today, SAD unites nearly 250 researchers from across the addiction field. Together, we cover a broad spectrum of competencies, reaching from preclinical research to treatment – ​​and I want to contribute to further clarifying the association’s role as interdisciplinary platform for networking, where we together identify relevant challenges and pave the way for new collaborations to meet these.

What are the major challenges in Swedish addiction research right now?
As always, there are several. As a preclinical researcher, I see the need for new and effective pharmacological therapies. In the biological field, there is a lot of exciting research underway to map exactly what happens in our brain when we develop an addiction. And of course, the new technology is opening important doors within our disciplines as well. For example, several apps are currently being developed that are expected to add important value to intervention and treatment.

Which challenge deserves a higher place on the agenda?
That we once and for all eliminate the stigma that still surrounds addiction. It is necessary for everyone to be able to speak freely about their own or their loved ones' addiction problems and what these entail without the risk of being treated disrespectfully. This can only be achieved if and when our entire society comes together and makes it clear that addiction is in fact a disease.

What is going on in Lab Grönbladh when you are not busy with SAD?
My PhD Student Sara Bjurling and I are exploring how caffeine affects the young brain. We have already published two studies mapping gene expression and behavior, and are now moving on to analyze how high doses of caffeine over time affect our willingness to take risks. These are questions that are becoming more relevant as young people's consumption of energy drinks increases, and we aim to contribute a number of relevant observations.

text: Magnus Alsne, photo: Magnus Alsne a o