Rabat – Mickael Naassila, a Franco-Moroccan researcher, has been appointed as the president of the European Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism (ESBRA) for a 4-year term.
Born to a Moroccan Amazigh father and a Norman mother, Naassila is a Professor of Physiology at the University of Picardie Jules Verne (UPJV) and Director of the research group on alcohol and drug addiction.
He was appointed in replacement of Sebastian Mueller, a Professor of Medicine and Director of the Center for Alcohol Research at the University of Heidelberg.
Naassila’s main mission is to maintain ESBRA’s international collaborations and promote its expertise within the international community.
Following his appointment, he told French news outlet Picard Courier that studies conducted by ESBRA to fight against excessive alcohol consumption and drugs as well as the expertise of the research carried out within the research group on alcohol and drug addictions at UPJV are now recognized across Europe.
Naassila said he is keen to promote ESBRA’s action by bringing together research teams to invest in the training of professionals throughout Europe to prevent excessive alcohol that can lead to increased risk of health problems and chronic diseases.
“I am committed to changing mentalities on the topic and to be collectively inspired by public policies undertaken elsewhere than in France,” he said, giving the example of Scotland where there is a minimum pricing regulation that makes sure that alcohol is not sold at a very low price.
Over the years, Naassila has made a name for himself internationally for his highly regarded studies about alcohol and drugs consumption as well as his constant participation in various conferences related to his field of study.
“Research on alcohol and drug dependence are in constant progress. The world can count on ESBRA and its president to relentlessly highlight this topic at the heart of political debates and major public health campaigns,” he said.
Created in 1980, the International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism (ISBRA) inaugurated its European branch, ESBRA, in 1987.
From the beginning, ESBRA aimed at federating European biomedical research on alcoholism by organizing an international scientific congress every two years. The organization held its latest scientific congress this year from October 7 to 9 in Timisoara, Romania.
ESBRA’s members represent various European countries working toward collectively providing axes of reflection and scientifically recognized opinions on alcohol consumption, its harmful effects, and ways to prevent its excessive consumption.
