The Functional Genomics department studies the presynaptic nerve terminal in health and disease.
We study presynaptic mechanisms that adjust synaptic transmission (presynaptic plasticity), the trafficking & fusion of neuropeptide vesicles (dense core vesicles) and presynaptic mechanisms of degeneration.
We love to share our work & insights with society. We have produced short films on brain myths and the Virtual Brain Experience, that allows you to see the brain from within. We also collaborate with the Museumnacht and explain our science to lay people, school children, patients & their caretakers and clinicians.
The Functional Genomics (FGA) department was established in 2001 when Matthijs Verhage moved in from Utrecht with a small team.
FGA is part of the Human Genetics Department of Amsterdam UMC, as well as the Life Sciences faculty of the VU University. Furthermore, FGA is embedded in Amsterdam Neuroscience.
Amélie Freal (FGA) was awarded a Vidi grant from NWO for her project “Neurons in balance” to investigate the mechanisms controlling axon initial segment plasticity and how this regulates network activity homeostasis.
Danai Riga will join the FGA as a new team leader, after being awarded the Amsterdam UMC fellowship. The fellowship (750K) will support her in establishing her independent research line and expand her research group at the CNCR.
During a regular Monday morning lab meeting, Kim was surprised by a team from Alzheimer Nederland with the Alzheimer Nederland thesis prize 2024. She was applauded for the impressive manner in which she was capable to explain her high quality fundamental scientific work performed in the Scheper lab to a lay audience.
