Achab Sophia is Deputy Addiction Division Director, ReConnecte Facility Director at University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG) and Co-Director of WHO Collaborating Centre for Training and Research in Mental Health, Psychological and Sociological Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University (UNIGE).

She acts as Advisor in various global Panels on public health issues, policy making and capacity building in addictive behaviors, for Swiss Federal Office of Public Health, for Swiss regional public health entities and for World Health Organization (WHO).

She is member of WHO EURO Mental Health Coalition, of WHO Global Clinical Practice Network, and of WHO EURO & European Commission Alcohol Health Alliance.

She is Lancet Commissionner and workstream co-Lead at Lancet psychiatry- Global Action on Problematic Internet Use; and Pompidou Group Council of Europe Expert on Public health issues and risks of online platforms in youth.

Her Research line is "Populational and clinical perspectives of addictive behaviors* and she contributed to the efforts leading to their inclusion in ICD-11, including directing Swiss Field Testing of ICD-11 criteria for addictive disorders (WHO research project on their utility, feasibility and added value).

She runs the Swiss pioneering treatment Centre ReConnecte specialized in addictive behaviors (Gambling, gaming, shopping, work..) since 2007 at University Hospitals of Geneva in Switzerland.

She supports early career professionals in addiction medicine in Europe and worldwide, co-Founder & co-Chair of the Executive Committee of ISAM NexT (New professionals Exploration Training and Education) at International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM) 2020-2023.

She drives advocacy and scientific efforts tackling Gender and Addiction from public health and clinical dimensions to leadership challenges. Co-Founder and co-Chair of Women and Addiction Interest Group (WAIG) at ISAM, Member of transcultural network putting women on the scientific agenda at ISSBA, Member of Equity Commission at Faculty of Medicine (UNIGE) and Equity delegate of Medical executives at HUG. 

She has been invited as faculty by international universities and major scientific societies: Barcelona UB (Spain)- Louvain la Neuve UCLA (Belgium)- Besançon UF (France), Changsha (China), Hong-Kong (SAR, China), University of Sherbrook (Canada), California Society of Addiction Medicine (USA), Swiss School of Public Health (Bern), Swiss Society of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy state of the art (Bern), Springschool of Public Health (Geneva), Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK), European College of Neuropsychiatrists educational update (Netherlands), European Psychiatric Association courses (Madrid and Amsterdam), International Society of Addiction Medicine (Canada), World Psychiatric Association course (Czech Republic)

She has been invited to join different scientific boards in the field of Addiction Medicine, Mental Health and Global Health :

-Chair, National Committee Switzerland, World Association on Dual Disorders WADD

-Chair, Addictive Behaviors Scientific Section, European Psychiatric Association EPA

-Board of Directors, International Society of Addiction Medicine ISAM

-Board of Directors, Geneva Health Forum GHF

-Executive Comittee Representative of Europe, Addiction Section, World Psychiatric Association WPA

-Former Representative of Europe, Regional Council, ISAM 

-Board of Directors, International Society for the Study of Behavioral addictions http://issba.elte.hu/ ISSBA

Educational background :

-Medical doctorate achieved in 2009, France; 

-PhD in Life sciences-Neurosciences-Human behaviors completed, France (2014);

-Degree in Psychiatry and psychotherapy of Addiction Medicine, Switzerland (2017);

-Master in Advanced Studies in Strategic Management of Health institutions at Geneva executive School for Business and Management, University of Geneva, Switzerland (2020);

-Improving Quality and Safety in Global Health, Harvard Global Health Institute, USA (2020);

-The Science of Happiness, University of California, Berkeley, USA (2021);

-Drug Policy by Global Health Centre, Graduate Institute, University of Geneva, Switzerland (2021); and

-Mental Health Leadership: Transformation Through Innovation, Harvard Global Health Institute, USA (2024).

Publications