About us
LONELY-EU is a Horizon Europe–funded initiative dedicated to understanding, reducing, and preventing social isolation and loneliness.
LONELY-EU is a European-wide initiative dedicated to addressing one of today’s most pressing social and public health issues: Social Isolation and Loneliness. The project brings together researchers, policymakers, and communication experts from across Europe to build a unified and evidence-based response to loneliness.
By combining the strengths of science, policy, and communication, LONELY-EU aims to understand how loneliness affects people’s lives, design effective interventions, and foster meaningful connections within communities. The project’s vision is to create a Europe where every person can access the relationships, networks, and support they need to thrive.
LONELY-EU seeks to answer three key questions:
- Who is at risk of social isolation and loneliness?
- What are the psychological, social, and economic impacts of Social Isolation and Loneliness across Europe?
- How can we monitor and reduce loneliness through policy, collaboration, and innovation?
Through rigorous research, data analysis, and cross-sector collaboration, the project will develop a shared knowledge base for European institutions and communities. It will also produce tools and policy recommendations to help decision-makers respond effectively — whether at the local, national, or EU level.
Importantly, LONELY-EU is built on open science and inclusivity. All research will follow transparent, ethical standards, and the project’s structure ensures that its outcomes are accessible to policymakers, organizations, and citizens alike. By connecting diverse perspectives and experiences, LONELY-EU strengthens Europe’s collective capacity to prevent loneliness and promote well-being for all.
Consortium
The LONELY-EU consortium combines scientific expertise, policy expertise, and networking and communication expertise from a diverse array of EU nations
Work Package Leaders
The LONELY-EU team brings together leaders in behavioral science, policy, and communication to develop a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to reducing loneliness and social isolation across Europe.
Each Work Package (WP) represents a focused area of research or implementation — coordinated by domain experts to achieve specific scientific, policy, or communication objectives. Together, these leaders ensure that LONELY-EU’s work connects rigorous science with actionable outcomes for policymakers and communities.
Prof. Maike Luhmann
Scientific Lead
Ruhr University Bochum
Coordinator of the LONELY-EU project, Maike oversees the consortium’s scientific direction and integration across work packages. A leading researcher on loneliness, social relationships, and well-being, her work focuses on understanding the predictors and trajectories of loneliness across the lifespan.
Prof. Patrizia Catellani
Scientific Lead
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
A leading scholar in political and social psychology, Patrizia’s work in LONELY-EU focuses on modeling cause-and-effect mechanisms underlying loneliness and social isolation, helping identify how communication and context shape these experiences.
Dr. Hans Rocha IJzerman
Scientific Lead
Annecy Behavioral Science Lab
Director of ABSL and a researcher at the intersection of social connection and behavioral science, Hans coordinates LONELY-EU’s overall scientific direction and integration across partners, ensuring open-science standards and methodological coherence.
Prof. Cristiano Vezzoni
Scientific Lead
University of Milan
Specialist in survey design and data quality, Cristiano leads efforts to ensure robust cross-national comparability and measurement of loneliness and isolation indicators across the EU.
Miss. Judith Merkies
Policy Lead
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
A former member of the European Parliament and long-time policymaker, Judith heads the Evidence-to-Action (E2A) Board, facilitating collaboration between scientists and policymakers. Her leadership ensures that LONELY-EU’s findings are translated into concrete, actionable recommendations for EU institutions and member states.
Prof. Dr Katarzyna Growiec
Scientific Lead
SWPS University
A social psychologist whose research explores social capital and trust in Central and Eastern Europe, Katarzyna leads the investigation into the consequences of social isolation and loneliness on well-being and social cohesion.
Mr. Rob Blaauboer
Communication Lead
Fioti
A seasoned journalist and innovation strategist, Rob directs LONELY-EU’s communication and dissemination strategy. His work ensures that project outcomes are accessible to both policymakers and the public, promoting evidence-based dialogue on social isolation and loneliness.