Peter Moleman (1948) is a Dutch pharmacologist, with a special interest in psychopharmacology.

Biography

In 1977, I completed my PhD in Pharmacology at the Faculty of Medicine of Erasmus University, Rotterdam. From 1977 to 1991 I worked as psychopharmacologist attached to the Department of Psychiatry at the Academic Hospital Rotterdam-Dijkzigt, now known as the Erasmus MC. There I helped implement a rational prescribing policy under the motto: “as little as possible, but if you need to use more, then do not hesitate”. From 1991 to 1997 I was co-director of the Institute of Patient related Psychiatric Research ( IPPO). From 2004 to 2009 I was Endowed Professor with the chair Biological Aspects of Psychopathology at the Faculty of Social Science (Behavioural Science Institute) at the Radboud University Nijmegen.

Work

My expertise lies in the area of applied psychopharmacology in psychiatry in all its aspects. The major part of my work consisted of teaching CME courses for psychiatrists, psychologists, nurse practitioners, GPs and pharmacologists. I did this from 1987 till my retirement in 2013, through my organization Moleman Psychopharmacology. In collaboration with Prelum Publishing I set up the quarterly journal Psyfar, which deals with current topics for continuing education in Psychopharmacology. I am continuing my collaboration with Prelum in the production of the website The Brain in Action.

Publications

I have published several articles in scientific journals, of which I was the leading author in articles in Nature, Archives of General Psychiatry (now JAMA Psychiatry), American Journal of Psychiatry and the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. In addition I have written two books in Dutch, “Medicines for the psyche: a practical guide” and the standard textbook “Practical Psychopharmacology” from Prelum Publishing (2009), ISBN 978 90 856 20570. The latter has now been updated to “Moleman’s Practical Psychopharmacology”.

Since my pension

At the basis of my work as a psychopharmacologist was my knowledge of the workings of the brain. Now that I have retired I can indulge myself further in this hobby. I consider myself lucky to be working with people also interested in this subject. And they enjoy working together with me on the website The Brain in Action.