Prof. Dr. Franz X. Vollenweider

Franz X. Vollenweider, MD, is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Zurich and Director of the Brain and Consciousness Unit of the Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich.

He studied biochemistry and medicine at the ETH-Zürich and University of Zurich, earning his Doctorate in Medicine in 1987. Since then, he has dedicated his career investigating the psychological and neural mechanism underlaying altered states of consciousness –both pathological and non-pathological.

For over three decades, Dr. Vollenweider’s research group has received continuous support from the Swiss National Science Foundation and other institutions to investigate the psychological effects and clinical potential of classic psychedelics. His work integrates advanced molecular and functional brain imaging techniques to uncover the neurobiological foundation of these experiences.

Internationally recognized, he was among the first to demonstrate that activation of seronin-2A receptors within cortical-subcortical networks plays is a key mechanism mediating the psychedelic experience. More recent, his research has expanded to examine how mindfulness-based practices interact with psychedelic-induced states. Initial findings suggest that that mindfulness may deepen and facilitate the navigation of psychedelic states, fostering greater openness, psychological resilience, and integrative capacity.

Dr. Vollenweider has authored over 200 peer-reviewed publication and served on numerous international review committees. His work has been honored with multiple prestigious awards, including the Heffter Research Institute Award, the Georg Friedrich Götz-Prize from the University of Zurich, the British Association of Psychopharmacology Prize, and recognitions from the Swiss Society of Psychiatry, NARSAD USA, and the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology.