Elga de Vries Group members

Dr. Wissam Beaino (guest postdoctoral researcher)

Ananya Chakraborty (guest PhD student)

Claudio Derada Troletti (PhD student)
Inflammation and blood-brain barrier dysfunction are key events in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). My project focus on the identification of cellular pathways and molecules which are altered in human brain endothelial cells during inflammation. My ultimate goal is to identify new targets for the development of more effective drugs for MS. Email: c.deradotroletti@vumc.nl

Dr. Ruud Fontijn (researcher)
My work focuses on conditions involved in (dys)function of the brain microvascular endothelium and the consequences thereof  for the blood brain barrier. Conditions associated with a decline of cerebral perfusion are of particular interest. Relevant approaches are, amongst others, TEER measurements and the use of shear stress- and hypoxia models. Email: r.fontijn@vumc.nl

Bert van het Hof (research technician)
Molecular biological techniques and western blotting

Alwin Kamermans (PhD student)
A key phenomenon which drives clinical worsening of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients is neurodegeneration. We postulate that an altered astrocyte-neuron interaction contributes to this process. My research investigates what proteins are involved in this communication, and how they are affected during neuroinflammatory diseases such as MS. Email: a.kamermans@vumc.nl

Wouter Kamphuis (guest researcher i.c.w. Brendinn Therapeutics)

Dr. Gijs Kooij (postdoctoral researcher)
Inflammation is a host-protective response and efficient resolution of inflammation, executed by specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators (SPMs), is essential to reinstate homeostasis. My main research focus is understanding this protective process in order to provide new perspectives on the pathogenesis of chronic (unresolved) neuro-inflammatory diseases and reveal new treatment opportunities. Email: g.kooij@vumc.nl

Lynn van Olst (PhD student)
My research focuses on the (neuro)immunological processes that underlie both neurodegeneration and healthy brain aging. We aim to elucidate how the immune system is involved in Alzheimer's disease but also how it protects the brain and maintains homeostasis during healthy aging. For this, we study the communication between neuronal cells and different immune cell subsets during aging and neurodegenerative disease. Email: l.vanolst@vumc.nl

Nanne Paauw (research technician)
Microscopy! That's my expertise. From bench protocol to data analysis and from big samples for light sheet microscopy to small samples for electron microscopy. Please let me know if  you have any question regarding microscopy. Email: n.paauw@vumc.nl

Susanne van der Pol (research technician)
Expertise in immunostainings (immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry, immunofluorescence and FACS), cell-based assays, cell isolations. Email: sma.vanderpol@vumc.nl

Dr. Merel Rijnsburger (postdoctoral researcher)
My main research focus is studying the involvement of the melanocortin system in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis. To study this we use brain material from MS donors together with functional experiments in vitro cultures of CNS cells.
Next to this, I study new targets of neuroregeneration in MS. Email: m.rijnsburger@vumc.nl

Sabela Rodriguez Lorenzo (PhD student)
The choroid plexus is a highly vascularised brain structure which forms the blood-CSF barrier (BCSFB) and plays a role in the brain's immune homeostasis. We aim to identify molecules and pathways involved in human BCSFB dysfunction in neuroinflammation, with a focus on multiple sclerosis, using RNA sequencing. Relevance of identified candidates will investigated using functional assays.
Email: s.rodriguezlorenzo@vumc.nl

Dr. Marijn Schouten (postdoctoral researcher)

Laura Wierts (guest research technician i.c.w. Brendinn Therapeutics)

Nienke de Wit (PhD student)
Altered lipid metabolism is known to contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease.  Sphingolipids are bioactive lipids that control a variety of cellular activities, including proliferation and apoptosis. In my project, we aim to define how changes in the sphingolipid balance, responsible enzymes and transporters, are associated with AD pathogenesis. Email: n.dewit1@vumc.nl