I am a neuroscientist and biotechnology entrepreneur. At Reykjavík University, I am Professor of Neuroscience and Program Director in Neurotechnology, and I lead RU NEUROLAB. I am also co-founder and CEO of 3Z and CEO of LTCC.
My work connects the study of brain function with the discovery and development of potential treatments for central nervous system disorders. I combine genetic disease models, behavioural analysis and electrophysiology with molecular measurements and human genetic evidence.
I earned my PhD in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Iowa in 2005, working with Mark Blumberg on the neural mechanisms of sleep in the developing brain. I was a postdoctoral scholar in Jerome M. Siegel’s laboratory at UCLA in 2005–2006. I hold a BA in Psychology from the University of Iceland.
I joined Reykjavík University in 2006 and became Professor of Biomedical Engineering in 2014. In 2026, I took up my current appointment in neuroscience and neurotechnology. My research developed from sleep and neural development into disease modelling and drug discovery. I maintain an ongoing collaboration in cetacean neuroanatomy. I have also been a group leader at the University of Iceland Biomedical Center since 2012 and am a founding member of the Reykjavík University Sleep Institute.
I co-founded 3Z in 2008 to apply experimental neuroscience and automated behavioural screening to drug discovery. The company combines disease models with human evidence to identify and advance candidates for brain disorders. Its aim is to build clinically relevant, patentable assets with a clear path to development.
Research at 3Z identified amlodipine as a candidate for further investigation in ADHD. I now lead the S-amlodipine development programme through LTCC, including preparations for clinical evaluation and coordination of regulatory, clinical and manufacturing work. I am a co-inventor on patents and patent applications arising from the drug discovery programme.
I teach neuroscience, physiology, and molecular and cell biology, and supervise research across biomedical engineering and related fields. I contribute to the development of Reykjavík University’s NeurotechEU EMN master’s pathway, including curriculum and laboratory infrastructure.
I am an active deputy member of Iceland’s Science and Innovation Council. My previous roles include chair of the RANNÍS Infrastructure Fund and co-founder and first chair of the Icelandic Society for Neuroscience.