Research
We investigate molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie plasticity of synapses and neuronal circuitry in animal models, as well as the human brain.
Projects and Networks
MCN teams contribute to national and international research projects and consortiums
About us
The MCN department was initiated in 2003 and in its current form has ~40 lab members. MCN participates in Amsterdam Neuroscience. Photo: lab outing to France 2023
Our latest activities
Early-life stress and amyloidosis share pathogenic pathways
Collaborative work between the teams of Mark Verheijen (VU-MCN) and Aniko Korosi (UvA-SILS), is recently published in Alzheimer’s and Dementia. The research was mainly performed by Mandy Kater (VU) and Janssen Kotah (UvA), among others, and shows that ‘Early-life stress and amyloidosis share pathogenic pathways involving astrocyte lipid metabolism and the synaptic mitochondrial proteome’.
Mechanisms Of DEMentia (MODEM): connecting the dots
“We all believe in the importance of a different piece of the puzzle.” prof. dr. Guus Smit says when he explains why this consortium was formed together with 20 other researchers. “It’s about connecting the dots, the cohesion between seemingly different processes underlying the development of dementia from different perspectives. That is what we are looking for in Mechanisms Of DEMentia (MODEM). Because that coherence has to be there. There is no other way.”
ZonMW funds multidisciplinary CNCR collaboration
A core problem in several dementias is the inability to form new memories and gradual loss of old memories. Funded by a ZonMW open competition grant, the teams of Wiep Scheper (Amsterdam UMC Human Genetics/FGA), Priyanka Rao-Ruiz (VU MCN) and Michel van den Oever (VU MCN) will collaborate to obtain mechanistic insight into memory formation and persistence and how this is disturbed in dementia.
