Understanding the brain, curing disease
At our Center, we aim to unravel the basic biological mechanisms of neurobiology and brain disease and translate these findings into innovative therapeutic strategies
Our mission
We want to force a breakthrough in the cure of neuronal and neurodegenerative disorders. This requires a deep understanding of normal brain function and translation of this knowledge into a solid mechanistic understanding of disease mechanisms.
Truly innovative research in translational medicine is born at the interface of excellent basic and medical-oriented research, which is why we focus on both. We study the mechanisms of major neuronal diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, frontotemporal dementia, dystonia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Our fundamental research questions focus on proteopathic stress, protein-lipid interactions and neuronal trafficking systems; but we tackle these questions in the context of synapse biology, brain wiring and inflammation, and in light of specific cell types and cellular heterogeneity.
Explore our science, meet our people
Browse through our brochure to learn more about us. From brain wiring to protein aggregation and neuroinflammation, the best science is done with the best technology and, of course, the best brains.
Beyond borders
Many of our research projects are conducted in close partnership with other research groups around the world. We also have close and ongoing collaborations with our colleagues at our two host institutes, VIB and KU Leuven, including, NERF and UZ Leuven.
Funding
Our research is supported by the Flemish government and several (inter)national funding bodies but also by numerous charity organizations that recognize the importance of combining fundamental and clinical research to generate therapeutic breakthroughs.
Follow our YouTube channel
Learn more about the work we do through our YouTube channel. We regularly post updates about our recent research.