Participants
In order to know who you will be able to meet during this day we provide a bio sketch and information on research focus of all participants here.
Gunter Kenis | Maastricht University
Omics (proteome, transcriptome, (epi)genome) - In-vitro models
Psychoneuroimmunology, Induced pluripotent stem cells, Epigenetics mechanisms, genomics, Gene-environment interactions
My research focuses on mechanisms of gene-environment interactions in the context of psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. Discoveries from several of our cohort studies yielded candidate pathways that are now being examined and validated at molecular level. For this, we are currently establishing patient-derived in-vitro models of stress-related disorders and Alzheimer’s Disease. Secondly, I am passionate about mind-body relationships, in particular the impact of peripheral inflammation on brain function. Here, we currently investigate the role of the tryptophan-kynurenine pathway as mediators in these processes, and how inflammation-induced activation of this pathway contributes to affective and cognitive deterioration in Alzheimer’s Disease.
Publications
Bieke Broux | University of Hasselt
Blood-brain barrier, Multiple sclerosis
Bieke Broux, PhD, is group leader of the "Chronic inflammation and BBB disruption in Neurodegeneration (CBN)" lab, and Assistant Professor in Immunology at Hasselt University (Biomedical Research Institute). Her research is focused on the interaction between the immune system and the central nervous system, specifically in the context of multiple sclerosis (MS). During her PhD, she studied T cell homeostasis in MS, with a focus on pathogenic and pro-inflammatory CD4+CD28- T cells. After her PhD, she obtained a postdoctoral fellowship grant from the Fund for Scientific Research Flanders (FWO). During the first two years of this postdoctoral fellowship, she worked in the lab of Prof. Dr. Alexandre Prat (CRCHUM, Université de Montréal, Canada), who is an expert in the field of blood brain barrier biology and disruption in multiple sclerosis. Here, Bieke acquired detailed knowledge as well as technical skills with regard to both human and mouse blood brain barrier models, while working on several projects. For her return to the lab of Prof. Dr. Hellings, she obtained a prestigious European ECTRIMS postdoctoral fellowship grant, as well as several bench fee grants (Belgian Charcot Foundation, FWO, Belgian MS support fund) to start a research line on the blood brain barrier in multiple sclerosis at the Biomedical Research Institute. In addition, she recently received a Global MS Research Booster Award, an international fellowship grant awarded once every two years by the Dutch “Stichting MS Research” to boost the development of a postdoctoral fellow into an independent group leader. Bieke is currently co-promotor of one finished and four ongoing doctorates at Hasselt University and she has supervised over 30 bachelor and master students during their internships.
Publications
Tim Vanmierlo | University of Hasselt/Maastricht University
Alzheimer's disease & Multiple Sclerosis, remyelination, oligodendrocytes
Since 2016, I am heading a research line on repair-inducing cognition enhancers in neurodegenerative disorders as part of the NIC&R group. In this context, we apply a battery of gene-editing approaches (e.g. CRISPR/Cas9, in vivo micro-electroporation) to modulate biological processes. In 2019, a cross-border initiative was established with the school for mental health and neuroscience (MHeNs) at Maastricht University to merge knowledge and expertise on cognition enhancers and gene-editing approaches. 13 joint Ph.D. students and three postdocs are currently employed under my supervision on this initiative.
Next to my core research, I am member of the executive committee of BIOMED (topic valorisation), and leading the division translational neuroscience in MHeNs.
Publications
Birke Benedikter | Maastricht University
Retinal Neurodegeneration, complement system
I hold a binational Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from the Universities of Luxembourg and Liège (2011) and a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Sciences from Maastricht University (2013). During my PhD at Maastricht University (2013-2017), I established protocols for the study of extracellular vesicles (EVs) and have shown that EVs secreted by lung epithelial cells promote thrombosis and inflammation in response to environmental triggers such as cigarette smoke. I further explored the role of EVs in host-pathogen interactions as a postdoc/junior group leader at the Philipps University Marburg (2018-2021) and expanded my research more generally to the immuno-metabolism in epithelial cells during bacterial infections. In 2022, I joined the University Eye Clinic Maastricht as a principal investigator. Here, I currently lead research into the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration in ocular diseases, including glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. Using pluripotent stem cell-based models (e.g. retinal organoids, retinal neurons and glia cells), I study the influence of triggers such as mechanical stress, microbial products or hyperglycemia on neuronal cell death, EV-mediated cell-to-communication and neuroinflammatory responses. In addition, I work closely with clinical specialists from the University Eye Clinic Maastricht and with the Eye Tissue Bank Maastricht to translate findings from my experimental research into new biomarkers and therapeutic strategies.
Publications
Federico De Martino | Maastricht University
Auditory, UHF MRI, MEG, laminar electrophysiology
Master in electronic engineerring. PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience. Post Doc at the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research in Minneapolis (USA). My research focuses on understanding the computations underlying auditory perception using a combination of computational modeling and advanced neuroimaging in humans.
Natalia Kononenko | University of Cologne
Parkinson, mouse models, cell cycle
2020: Associate Professor, Molecular and cellular physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne
2015 - 2020: Research Group Leader, CECAD, University of Cologne, Germany
2012 - 2015: Project leader, Leibniz-Institute for Molecular Pharmacology (FMP), Berlin
2009 - 2012: Postdoctoral researcher, Charité Medical School, Berlin
2007 - 2009: Postdoctoral researcher, Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Trondheim, Norway
2005 - 2007: Alexander von Humboldt postdoctoral fellow, Free University Berlin, Berlin
2002 - 2005: PhD in Human and animal physiology, Kolzov’s Institute for Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Science, Moscow, Russia
1996 - 2001: Diploma in Biology, Faculty of Biology, Department of Human and Animal Physiology, State University of Kaliningrad, Russia.
Melissa Schepers | University of Hasselt
Range of neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease but also multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury among others
Cognition, neuron-glia biology
Melissa Schepers is a junior postdoc at the lab of Prof. Dr. Tim Vanmierlo at BIOMED of Hasselt University and Maastricht University. She also performed her PhD in the lab of Prof. Vanmierlo, titled “PDE4 gene inhibition - a novel approach to treat demyelinating disorders”. She is currently conducting postdoctoral research focused on spatiotemporal regulation of PDE4D containing nanodomains in neurons and oligodendrocytes (FWO junior postdoctoral fellowship). Melissa’s research aims to shed light on selective PDE4D isoform inhibition as a therapeutic strategy to induce myelin- and neuroregeneration in multiple sclerosis.
Publications
Rudy Schreiber| Maastricht University
Major depression, transdiagnostic; RDoC; serotonin
Rudy Schreiber got his B.S. in Medicinal Biology and his Ph.D. in Neuropharmacology from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. He started his career in central nervous system drug discovery in 1993. Subsequently he progressed from bench scientist to senior leadership roles at global pharmaceutical companies, including Servier (France), Bayer (Germany), Roche (CA) and Sepracor (currently, Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc, MA). From 2010 till 2012 he was the SVP of the Neurobiology group of the contract research organization, Evotec (Germany). Rudy’s drug discovery experience covers a wide range of psychiatric and neurologic indications. He also worked with many different classes of molecular targets and led projects ranging from the idea stage throughout proof of principle testing. He has published more than 100 papers and 30 patents. In 2012, he founded Suadeo Drug Discovery Consulting LLC in Boston. Rudy joined Maastricht University in 2018 and is coordinator of the 2-year research master program Drug Development and NeuroHealth. After this career change, he (re)discovered his interest for education, especially for training the next generation of drug hunters and neuro-entrepreneurs. Rudy is a Homo Aquaticus who lives on a boat in Maastricht Marina and spends his free time rowing on the Maas River or sailing offshore.
Publications
Mario Senden| Maastricht University
Visual, biophysics, artificial intelligence, deep learning
As an Assistant Professor at Maastricht University's Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, I lead the Cognitive Computational Neuroscience Group in exploring fundamental mechanisms of neural information processing. My research integrates goal-driven deep learning, biophysical modelling, and data-driven model discovery to understand the cortical perception-action loop.
I'm passionate about developing novel methodologies that bridge the gap between theoretical neuroscience and empirical observations.
Zeus Tipado| Maastricht University
Visual, psychedelics, fnirs, vr
Zeus Tipado is a Neuropsychopharmacology PhD candidate at Maastricht University focusing on researching the brain while under DMT inside virtual/extended reality. He’s using fNIRS (functional near-infrared spectroscopy) to give humanity its first glimpse on brain energy distribution in the visual cortex during this unique psychedelic process.
Publications
Janine Kox | Maastricht University
Cognitive biases (across non-clinical populations and clinical disorders such as Major Depression, functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), neuroplasticity
My name is Janine, a PhD candidate from Luxembourg, with an academic background in Psychology and Neuroscience. I am simultaneously a personal and business coach, thereby aiming to bridge theory and practice to improve mental health. To do so, my research focuses on the effects of stress and sleep deprivation on cognitive biases, by using the transdiagnostic rDOC approach, and see whether psychedelics such as LSD, Psilocybin and even non-hallucinogenic psychedelics can reverse these effects.
Emmanuel Hermans | UCLouvain
Pain, Gliosis
He is specialist in fundamental pharmacology and in Neuropharmacology. Pharmacist (1990), PhD in neurochemistry (1994), full professor since 2012 (teaching neurophysiology, neuropharmacology and neuropsychopharmacology).
His main interest is the regulation of neurotransmission with a focus on the role of astrocytes in the regulation of excitatory transmission and its modulation in nervous disorders. He has deeply investigated the molecular mechanism controlling the activity of glutamate transporters in astrocytes in models of neurological disorders, in particular in models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and in models of chronic/neuropathic pain. For these disorders, we maintain transgenic models and surgical models. We have also developed a platform for behavioural testing of locomotor activities and pain. The regulation of glutamate handling by glial cells (glutamate receptors, transporters, metabolizing enzymes, and exchanger) is studied both in vivo/ex vivo and in vitro. Considering my expertise and interest in pharmacology, we examine the impact of several soluble transmitters on these glutamate targets. We also test diverse drugs acting on neurotransmitter targets in glial cells as well as inflammatory mediators.
Niels Hellings | University of Hasselt
Neurodegeneration/Aging, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, (immune) senescence, exercise immunology
Niels Hellings is director of the Biomedical Research Institute (BIOMED) and professor in immunology at the Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences of Hasselt University. He graduated as master in bioscience-engineering at the Catholic University of Leuven (1996) and consequently obtained a PhD in immunology at Hasselt University (2000). He was visiting postdoctoral scientist at McGill University (Montréal), before returning to Hasselt University to setup up his own research group.
He now heads the Neurimmune Connections & Repair (NIC&R) lab that focuses on the complex interplay between the central nervous system and the immune system that is crucial for a long and healthy life. Disturbances in this delicate balance contribute to neurodegenerative diseases. The NIC&R lab investigates fundamental mechanisms in neuroinflammation, repair and immune aging using patient derived material and in vitro and in vivo models, so that novel leads for disease interventions are identified and validated. In addition to basic research, the NIC&R lab invests in collaborations with biotech and pharma and shares its passion for science through popular science communication.
Niels Hellings is president of the Belgian Immunological Society and board member of the European Graduate School of Neuroscience and Flanders Vaccine vzw.
Publications
Melanie Foecking | RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences
Neuropsychiatry, Psychosis, complement pathway
Melanie Föcking is a neuroscientist and cell biologist working to understand protein changes and pathways in psychotic disorder. She obtained her PhD in Experimental Neuroscience from the Max Planck Institute for Neurological Research, Cologne, Germany and the University of Maastricht, The Netherlands, and the European Graduate School of Neuroscience. Thereafter she started as a Postdoctoral Research fellow with David Cotter in the Department of Psychiatry at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in Dublin, Ireland. She closely collaborated with Michael Dunne in the newly established proteomics facilities in UCD Dublin. Melanie is an Editor of PROTEOMICS and PROTEOMICS - Clinical Applications, an associate Editor of Frontiers in Molecular Psychiatry and authored over 30 proteomics related peer reviewed papers, with some of her work published in JAMA Psychiatry and Molecular Psychiatry. Her recent work is focusing on synaptic changes in the brain and the complement pathway in psychosis with the aim of identifying new targets for treatment.
Publications
Ferdinand Binkofski | RWTH Aachen University
Neurology, Stroke, Cognitive Psychology
Since 2010 Full Professor for Clinical Cognitive Sciences at the RWTH Aachen University
Publications
Lukas Lorentz | RWTH Aachen University
Neurocognition & perception, Visual, Effective connectivity analysis
My research focuses on the use of Virtual and Augmented Reality applications in (neuropsychological) rehabilitation. Extended Reality (XR) technology offers many opportunities for innovative therapy interventions that potentially increase adherence and ecological validity and allow for telerehabilitation. In this context, our research group is developing and evaluating novel XR-based approaches for rehabilitating deficits in attention and executive function and neglect. My neuroimaging research using fMRI and fNIRS is centered around the mechanisms of visual attention and tool use in virtual environments. Alumni of Radboud and Maastricht University.
Publications
Nicolas Sergeant | Université de Lille
Neurodegeneration/Aging, Alzheimer, Small drug development
Nicolas Sergeant is a research Director in the Alzheimer & Tauopathies team at the LilNCog Neuroscience Research Center of Lille University, University Hospital Center, and Inserm UMRS 1172. In the second middle of the 90s, he degreed a Ph.D. in Biology of Aging at Paris VII University and contributed to the characterization of Tau isoforms biochemical signature in Tauopathies as well as the mechanism regulating Tau splicing as consequences of Tau mis- splicing in a rare neuromuscular disorder such as myotonic dystrophy. His former work consisted of a better understanding of the “natural history” of the potential relationship between the amyloid and Tau pathology in Alzheimer's disease. His current research topic aims at the neosynthesis, screening and identification of small molecules effective on both amyloid and Tau pathologies in Alzheimer's disease, one of them currently being achieved the clinical Phase II to treat a rare Tauopathy referred to as Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. He contributed to the development of a gene therapy through the design of an innovative engineered decoy-protein approach against myotonic dystrophy. His expertise in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases, biomarkers discovery and therapeutic development led to several patents and the development as a cofounder of the MedTech company SPQI that brings to the market the first molecular marker of male infertility and assays to assess spermatozoa functionality, fertility, and immunological tools dedicated to neurodegenerative diseases (https://www.4biodx.com). Through his in delighted research activity including more than 150 original scientific contributions, his work has been cited thousands of times by colleagues.
Publications
Inez Wens | Maastricht University
Neurology, Multiple sclerosis, Regeneration, Remyelination
I'm a lab manager and senior postdoctoral researcher at the Repair-inducing cognition enhancers (RICE) research group, at the University of Maastricht and University of Hasselt. Previously, I coordinated an European Horizon2020 project, performing a phase I/II clinical trial, in the development of an antigen specific cell therapy for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients. I'm a dedicated MS researcher, with a special interest to bring novel (regenerative) therapies closer to patients. As a bioscience engineer (cell & gene technology), I have a strong background in in vitro and in vivo research. My research resulted in >50 scientific publications (of which >15 as first or last author) in peer-reviewed, international journals. Furthermore, I'm the lead author of a book chapter, looking beyond neurological impairments in MS patients. I received invitations to present my work at several international conferences and my work has been (inter)nationally recognized and rewarded (FWO, MS Liga research grant, Charcot research fund, Roche, Stichting MS research, conference prices,...). I'm currently promotor of 2 ongoing (J. Van den Bos, Y. El Ouaamari) and 1 defended (I. Janssens) PhD projects and co-promotor of 2 ongoing (B. Rombaut, A. Taddeucci) and 1 defended (C. Keytsman) PhD projects.
Publications
Rik Sijben | RWTH Aachen University
Neurocognition & perception, Chemosentation & integration, social interaction, fMRI, hyperscanning
"My background and scientific interest focus mostly in perception and integration (vision, olfaction, gustation). After obtaining my PhD at the RWTH Aachen University in 2019, I joined the Brain Imaging Facility at the RWTH Aachen. In addition to conducting own lines of research, we are responsible for the implementation and optimization of new neuroscientific methods and techniques, ensuring that all (neuro-) scientists are the Uniklinik RWTH Aachen can conduct high level research.
In addition I offer assistance and courses on research design, statistics, MRI data analysis, and programming."
Publications
Sophie Halliez | Université de Lille
Neurodegeneration/Aging, Alzheimer, Connectivity; prion-like
"I work in the Lille Neuroscience & Cognition research centre in the Inserm laboratory “Alzheimer & tauopathies”. I study neurodegenerative disorders and more specifically proteinopathies.
I currently focus on the cellular mechanisms underlying the spreading of tau pathology through the brain during Alzheimer’s disease and other taupathies (cell-to-cell transfer of tau, seeding process, cell vulnerability phenomenon, etc) and how tau pathology impacts neural networks. To do so, I develop and characterize in vitro and ex vivo models of neural networks."
Publications
EURON PI Meeting
Registration website for EURON PI MeetingEURON PI Meetingsecr.euron@maastrichtuniversity.nl
EURON PI Meetingsecr.euron@maastrichtuniversity.nlhttps://www.aanmelder.nl/pi2024
2024-11-27
2024-11-27
OfflineEventAttendanceMode
EventScheduled
EURON PI MeetingEURON PI Meeting0.00EUROnlineOnly2019-01-01T00:00:00Z
Buitenplaats VaesharteltBuitenplaats VaesharteltWeert 9 6222 PG Maastricht Netherlands