The new website of the Netherlands Neurogenomics Database (NND) has recently gone online! The NND is a collaboration between the research group of Inge R. Holtman (MSCNN / BMS UMCG) and the Netherlands Brain Bank, one of the largest and best-documented brain tissue collections in the world. For instance, extensive clinical information is available for these donors regarding the course of the disease, the pathological state of the brain has been described in detail, and the genetic profile of almost every donor is known. Additionally, measurements of molecular changes have been performed in the omics laboratory. At the MSCNN, the correlation between all these different types of information is carefully mapped by Holtman's group.
There is a great deal of variation among people with brain diseases, such as MS, regarding disease progression and symptoms, for example. By mapping all this information, it is possible to examine whether, for instance, disease progression is related to abnormalities in the brain tissue. This can lead to new insights, such as better predicting who is at higher risk for certain brain disorders or discovering different subtypes of a brain disease.
Eric Hoekstra, a technician in Inge Holtman's group, has created a website where all this bundled information from the brain donors can be found. The contributions of Sander Bouwman to the preparatory work for the website, as well as those of Nienke Mekkes and Shivam Kumar for processing the data, were also essential in this process. The database on the website will primarily be used by researchers, but it can also provide medical professionals with insights into the progression of brain diseases. Moreover, the NND website is publicly accessible, so feel free to take a look!
This project is made possible in part by the Friends of the Brain Institute Foundation and the Institute for Chemical Neuroscience (iCNS).
