Neurodegenerative disease

• We use various mouse models. A major aim in this research is to understand aspects of aberrantly adapted synaptic and circuitry function. To achieve this we integrate molecular, cellular and behavioural approaches and try to reach a systems level description.

Interventions using opto- and chemo-genetic approaches (Ronald van Kesteren, Michel) are necessary technologies to obtain causal understanding of mechanisms that act at the circuitry level and extent all the way up to behavior.

• We use cellular models (link cellomics). Recently, the use of iPSC-derived human neurons was introduced as these may represent cellular dysfunction in the specific genomic context of the patient.

• When possible we use postmortem human brain tissue to translate our findings obtained in models to conditions in the human brain (Guus Smit).

This research is carried out by the teams of Ronald van Kesteren, Guus Smit, Mark Verheijen, and Ka Wan Li.