The UMC Utrecht Brain Center provides excellent care, educates the next generation of clinicians and researchers, and cultivates outstanding research in the neuroscientific field. We concentrate our research, clinical care, and education along six focus areas: epilepsy, stroke, neuro-oncology, developmental disorders, personalized psychiatry, and neuromuscular diseases.
Goal
The goal of the UMC Utrecht Brain Center is to unite all laboratory- and animal research within the six focus areas in a ‘Center for Translational Neuroscience’ (CTN). With this new research infrastructure, we aim to increase efficiency, improve and facilitate new collaborations, and share equipment and technical expertise. This will accelerate innovation in the field of neuroscience, resulting in more knowledge and new therapies for patients with neurological and/or psychiatric problems. Additionally, the CTN will cement the UMC Utrecht Brain Center’s excellent reputation as an expertise center for neuroscience research regionally, nationally and internationally.
Research groups
The CTN will include the laboratories of the department of Translational Neuroscience, the department for Developmental Origins of Disease (DDOD), the department of neurology & neurosurgery, the ENT department, and the Biomedical MR Imaging and Spectroscopy group.
- Research group Neural circuit function.
- PI: Roger Adan.
- Expertise: Electrophysiology, Eating disorders, Optogenetics.
- Research group Single cell biology of neural cell identity.
- PI: Onur Basak.
- Expertise: Single-cell genomics, Reward system, Neural development.
- Research group Translational neuroimaging group.
- PI: Rick Dijkhuizen.
- Expertise: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Stroke, Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).
- Research group Research in Spinal Muscular Atrophy.
- PI: Ewout Groen.
- Expertise: SMA, Genetics, Personalized medicine.
- PI: Ludo van der Pol.
- Expertise: Natural history, Genetic and anti-inflammatory treatments, Biomarkers.
- Research group Developmental neurobiology.
- PI: Freek Hoebeek.
- Expertise: Electrophysiology, Brain development, Neuroanatomy.
- PI: Cora Nijboer.
- Expertise: Neonatal brain, Neuroprotection, Stem cells.
- Research group Neurogenetics.
- PI: Kevin Kenna.
- Expertise: ALS, Genetics, Bioinformatics.
- PI: Jan Veldink.
- Expertise: ALS, Genetics, Sequencing.
- Research group Neural circuit plasticity and function.
- PI: Frank Meye.
- Expertise: Neurophysiological read-outs, Neural circuit plasticity, Neurostimulation.
- Research group Protection and repair of the injured newborn brain.
- PI: Cora Nijboer.
- Expertise: Neonatal brain, Neuroprotection, Stem cells.
- Research group Neural circuit development and disease.
- PI: Jeroen Pasterkamp.
- Expertise: Dopamine neuron, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Organoids.
- Research group Neuro otology.
- PI: Diane Smit.
- Expertise: Hearing difficulties, Tinnitus, Evidence based medicin.
- PI: Natalia Smith-Cortinez.
- Expertise: Inner ear regeneration, Cellular and molecular biology, Human primary organoids.
- PI: Inge Stegeman.
- Expertise: Open Science, Tinnitus, Epidemiology.
- PI: Robert Stokroos.
- Expertise: Hearing, Tinnitus, Otolaryngology.
- PI: Louise Straatman.
- Expertise: Regenerative therapies for hearing loss, Hearing implants, Prevention of hearing loss.
- PI: Hans Thomeer.
- Expertise: Sensorineural hearing loss, Cochlear implantation, Hearing preservation surgery.
- PI: Huib Versnel.
- Expertise: Auditory Neuroscience, Electrophysiology, Evoked Potentials.
Rudolf Magnus Seminar Series
The CTN, together with the PhD program ‘Clinical and Experimental Neuroscience’, organizes the Rudolf Magnus Seminar Series. These monthly lectures focus on neuroscientific laboratory research. Every edition, an amazing keynote speaker will give an inspiring lecture. The goal is to create more in-depth knowledge on laboratory research (new developments, techniques etc.) and improve collaboration. The series is aimed at laboratory researchers but is open for all neuroscience researchers. The program, compiled by a number of enthusiastic PhD students from the different laboratory departments, can be found below.
Contact
braincenter@umcutrecht.nl
