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Neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory processes are major hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases and are related to the ageing brain. Our research programme MOLAR will improve early diagnosis, monitoring and timely treatment of age-related neurodegenerative diseases.

We strive to achieve the following objectives:

  • to define genetic, transcriptome, proteomic signatures of the healthy, ageing and diseased brain;
  • to elucidate basic factors and contributors to brain ageing and neurodegenerative diseases, such as DNA damage mechanisms, loss of protein homeostasis, and neuroinflammation;
  • to develop novel technologies for diagnosis and monitoring of age-related neurodegenerative diseases, such as novel imaging techniques;
  • to develop novel tools for regenerative strategies, like anti-inflammatory compounds and cell-based therapy;
  • to define targets for effective treatment.
Relevance

Expand and share our knowledge about the ageing brain

Healthy Ageing is a primary focus of research, patient care, education and training within the University of Groningen and the UMCG. Our programme, part of the Research Institute Brain and Cognition, is part of that strategy. Through our research we will improve early diagnosis, monitoring and timely treatment of age-related neurodegenerative diseases.

We will show the relevance of our research in various ways. We have and will:

  • We will broaden our collaborations within the European Ageing Brain Network, which will lead to improvement and greater visibility of the scientific output in terms of publications (top 10% of its field of research), PhD theses and joint grant applications.

  • We develop integrated educational platforms, including the organisation of a 2-monthly MOLAR science days for promoting interdepartmental interaction between staff members and PhD students to facilitate scientific exchange and sharing of technical expertise.

    We initiate and participate in national and international grant applications.

    We actively participate in national and international biomedical societies, such as the Dutch Glia Society, Dutch Society for Neuroscience, Dutch Society for MS Research, Alzheimer Nederland, European Glia Society, European Huntington's Disease Network, international C. elegans community.

  • We actively promote socially relevant MOLAR research to patients, patient organisations and the general public, by participating in public events of the interfaculty research institute BCN and also in events of the MS Centrum Noord Nederland and NoNe-GON.

     

  • We promote the valorisation of our research by raising awareness among MOLAR PIs about intellectual property regulations and the patent potential of their discoveries.