Molecular Mechanisms of Synaptic Plasticity
I aim to mechanistically understand how assemblies of synaptic proteins contribute to synaptic plasticity in health and disease
Dementia Science
Our goal is to understand the specific molecular, cellular and network adaptations that occur in the brain in the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s diseasse, and to test how these adaptations can be used for early disease diagnosis and intervention.
Principal Investigators
Ronald van KesterenAnimal Models of Psychiatric Disease
The focus of my team is on cognition and how it is affected by neuropsychiatric ailments, such as depression. We study maladaptation of synapses and circuitry brought about by unique molecular signatures in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.
Principal Investigators
Sabine SpijkerGlial Regulated Neuronal Plasticity
Our research aims to discover new glial-based mechanisms of information processing in the brain in health and disease, with a focus on the role of astrocytes in the regulation of myelin and synaptic plasticity.
Principal Investigators
Mark VerheijenMemory Circuits
Our goal is to gain mechanistic insight into the neural circuitry, cells and molecules that support persistent memories of negative and positive experiences.
Principal Investigators
Michel van den OeverMolecular Engrams
The main goal of my research team is to identify the bio-molecular framework on which aversive associative memories are built and maintained throughout their lifetime.
Principal Investigators
Priyanka Rao-RuizAddiction
My aim is to unravel the neurobiological mechanisms underlying drug addiction with a particular focus on relapse mechanisms related to alcohol and nicotine. These studies have a strong multidisciplinary character and include behavioural analysis, proteomics, neurophysiology and opto- and chemogenetic approaches.
Other leadership
Taco de VriesAxon Regeneration
The overall objective of the Laboratory for Neuroregeneration is to unravel the biological mechanisms that govern successful regeneration in the PNS and that underlie degeneration and regenerative failure in the CNS. The primary long-term research objective is to make significant contributions to the field of restorative neuroscience and neurology.
Other leadership
Joost VerhaagenNeuroproteomics
My Neuroproteomics team aims to (1) describe the protein complex nano-machinery that underlies synapse function and plasticity, and (2) reveal the alteration of synapse/tissue proteomes in cases of neuro-degenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. Mass spectrometry based quantitative proteomics analysis is the leading technology behind these studies.
Other leadership
Ka Wan LiSynapse Gene Mapping
Together with the SynGO consortium, we are helping to create an expert-curated knowledge database with information about genes expressed in the synapse, their involvement in biological processes and interaction partners. We aim to add information to the database from our own high-throughput molecular experiments. The low amount of false positives will enable us to perform meaningful and reliable pathway analyses that can aid research into synaptopathies such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. In addition, my team also focuses on innovative ways to maintain the quality of education with a growing student population.
