Niki Antypa is an Associate Professor at the unit of Clinical Psychology at the Institute of Psychology. In her research, Antypa focuses on the chronobiology of depression and suicide.

More information about Niki Antypa

Niki Antypa is an Associate Professor at the unit of Clinical Psychology at the Institute of Psychology. In her research, Antypa focuses on the chronobiology of depression and suicide. 

Research on biological clock and depression

Antypa is particularly interested in how the internal biological clock (chronotype) interacts with other psychological and environmental influences and subsequently influences people’s vulnerability to depression and suicide. 

Depression is a complex disorder with multiple potential causes. Through understanding the role of the biological clock, Antypa hopes to provide insights into the factors that contribute to the development or maintenance of depressive states. She also investigates interventions (e.g. light therapy, e-health) that help promote a healthier functioning of the clock and improve sleep, in different populations including depressed patients, students, and other. Depending on the population studied, these interventions aim to prevent disease or improve treatment.

Short CV

Niki Antypa was born on the island of Chios, Greece. Between 2000-2004, she studied Psychology at the American College of Greece where she obtained the degree Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with High Distinction.

She then moved to the Netherlands to study Clinical Psychology and at the end of 2006 she obtained her MSc in Psychology (cum laude) from Leiden University. From 2007 until 2011, she worked at the department of Clinical Psychology as a PhD student and in June 2011 she obtained her PhD degree. Her dissertation focused on cognitive vulnerability to depression, including the influence of genetic, environmental and nutritional factors. 

With a Rubicon Grant awarded by NWO. (Dutch Scientific Organization), she carried out post-doctoral research at the Institute of Psychiatry, at the University of Bologna, in Italy.

In 2022, Antypa became an Associate Professor at the unit of Clinical Psychology at Leiden University. 

Teaching

• Supervision of bachelor and master theses
• Clinical Internship supervision
• Internal Practice Internship co-ordinator, instructor and supervisor Instructor of Master’s courses such as Basic Therapeutic Skills and Clinical Interviewing and Assessment
• Research internship supervisor

Basic Teaching Qualification (Basiskwalificatie Onderwijs; BKO) obtained: 6 October 2017.

Grants

• N.W.A. (Dutch Research Agenda) Grant BioClock Consortium (2020 – 2026) 
   Project PI: Developing an E-health intervention for improving the biological clock and sleep of University students (“i-sleep & BioClock”): PhD candidate Laura Pape.
  - Project PI: “A healthy clock, a healthy mind: restoring 24-h rhythms to combat mood disorders”: postdoc Georgiana Rus-Oswald.
• EUniWell Grant: (2021-2022) Collaborative project between 7 European Universities entitled “The Mental Health Symposium: Exploring and Enhancing Mental Health Initiatives and Resources”. Co-applicant (Leiden representative).
• N.W.O. (Dutch Scientific Organization) Onderzoekstalent Grant / Research Talent grant - Principal Investigator – Leiden University (2019- 2023) “Title: 'Rise and fall: Daily fluctuations in suicidal ideation'”: PhD candidate Liia Kivela.
• N.W.O. (Dutch Scientific Organization) Rubicon Grant – Principal Investigator -  (2011-2013) post-doctoral research at the Institute of Psychiatry, at the University of Bologna, in Italy. Research focus of the post-doctoral work: “Genetic and environmental pathways to personalized treatment in depression”.

Memberships

• Board member and Head of the Educational committee of the Dutch Association of Sleep-Wake Research.
• Board member and Cluster leader of cluster 2: “Clocks in Health Care” of the BioClock Consortium.

Clinical training

• Emotion Focused Therapy training – Levell I, Level II, and Level III completed
• Masterclasses: Emotion Focused Therapy for Complex Trauma; Empathy and Empathic Attunement in EFT.
• In possession of: LOGO declaration for psychologists. 

In the media

Quest Magazine | Wat bepaalt of je een ochtend- of avondmens bent?
EOS Wetenschap | Wat bepaalt of je een ochtend- of avondmens bent?
Invited guest in theater performance “60 In Real Time”, Zuiderstrand Theater, Den Haag (October 2020).
Helan Magazine | Ben jij een ochtend- of een avondmens?
Mare Online | Zondag voelt Leiden de voordelen van de duisternis
Mare Online | Hoe spookstudenten verstrikt raken in hun eigen leugens

Publications