Addiction: Brain or behaviour?
We all seek pleasure in different ways — from exercise to gaming to chocolate — but what happens when that pursuit spirals out of control?
Join experts from UQ's Queensland Brain Institute and the University of Queensland during Brain Awareness Week to discover:
- The biological basis of addiction
- Methamphetamines and the reward cycle of addiction
- The latest trends in addiction research
- How social media is shaping young brains
- How to overcome addiction
Date: Thursday, 19 March 2025
Time: 6.00pm – 7.00pm
Location: Auditorium 1, State Library of Queensland, Stanley Place, South Bank
Cost: Free
Doors open at 5.30pm. Event commences at 6pm and will include an interactive Q&A session.
Chair
Emeritus Professor Roland (Roly) Sussex
Roland (Roly) Sussex (OAM, FQA, Chevalier des Palmes Académiques) is an Emeritus Professor of UQ. He has a PhD in Russian and general linguistics from the University of London. He was Professor of Russian at the University of Melbourne (1974-1989), and Professor of Applied Language Studies at UQ from 1989 to 2010.
Expert Speakers
Associate Professor Susannah Tye
UQ Associate Professor Susannah Tye's research focuses on improving treatment options for people with severe and hard-to-treat mental health conditions. Using an interdisciplinary approach that combines neuroscience, medicine, and neural engineering, her lab studies why some treatments don’t work and develops more personalised, effective therapies using biomarkers and real-time brain feedback. Its goal is to translate this research into clinical practice, supporting better recovery, long-term brain health, and improved mental health outcomes.
UQ Professor Leanne Hides is the Director of the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence on Meaningful Outcomes in Substance Use Treatment and the Deputy Director of the National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research (NCYSUR). She is a clinical psychologist with over 25 years of experience helping people with alcohol and other drug challenges. Her research focuses on turning science into real-world treatments, working closely with health services to design and test new ways to support recovery. She also develops web and mobile phone-based programs.
Dr James Kesby is an advanced researcher with UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute and a Senior Research Fellow with the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research. His research focuses on understanding why decision-making can be difficult for people with psychosis, and how these challenges affect everyday life, including work, relationships, and independence. He is an expert in the brain’s reward mechanism – the dopamine system – and how faults in this mechanism can cause disorders such as depression and addiction.
More details
Parking
Parking is available under State Library and the Queensland Art Gallery, accessible via Stanley Place. A flat fee of $18 per entry, per day. Payment to be made on entry by credit card only (Visa or MasterCard).
Public transport
The State Library of Queensland is very well serviced by public transport. Please visit the TransLink website for specific information regarding the best route from your location.
About Brain Awareness Week
Brain Awareness Week aims to increase public awareness of and support for brain research. As part of this global campaign, the Queensland Brain Institute is hosting its third public session to inspire the community to learn more about their brain and how understanding this complex organ can help us improve our lives.