In the multiscale network neuroscience (MULTINET) team we strive to improve glioma patient outcomes by understanding and manipulating personalized multiscale network data.
We embrace complexity and acknowledge that each of the concepts in our vision have multiple realizations. We therefore measure these concepts in different populations and use different methodologies and approaches. The main focus of our research is on primary brain tumor patients, specifically glioma patients. However, we also study patient outcomes across other neurological and psychiatric conditions. Regardless of condition, patients often have to deal with similar, debilitating symptoms, such as cognitive and physical complaints, psychological distress, and a decreased quality of life.
Within the team we aim to get a better understanding of why certain patients develop specific problems. Ultimately, we aim to predict and treat clinical outcomes of individual patients.
To do so, we study and manipulate the brain from the micro to the macroscale, using network theory as a unifying framework to understand the brain from cells to circuits to networks. We study cellular and molecular features by investigating (resected or post-mortem) brain tissue of glioma patients in the laboratory, performing cell culture and fluorescent immunohistochemistry. We are expanding our mesoscale circuit investigations. We also look at brain structure, function, and graph theoretical network properties, using macroscale data acquired with techniques such as MRI, MEG, and EEG, in both patients as well as healthy populations. Importantly, instead of analyzing each modality separately, we strive to integrate information across these different modalities, for example by applying a multilayer approach to obtain an integrated picture of the brain (network) that, hopefully, relates more clearly to clinical/cognitive outcome measures.
We also manipulate our data to gain a more mechanistic understanding of the differences that we observe in disease populations. We manipulate the brain through computational modeling, by using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in healthy controls and patients, and by putting cell cultures in different treatment conditions.
Through such carefully considered manipulations, we aim to get a deeper understanding of the brain network, how it relates to patient outcomes, and most importantly: how we could improve current treatment of these outcomes. These insights directly feed into our intervention studies.
In summary, we use a multiscale framework in order to experimentally and computationally investigate how to better understand complex network data and use it to our advantage in clinical populations.
Current ongoing projects:
For patients: an overview of all running studies can be found on the Amsterdam UMC brain tumor center website (in Dutch): Meedoen aan onderzoek Hersentumoren Amsterdam UMC
Molecule2Behavior (M2B) | longitudinal observational study in glioma patients including neuropsychological assessment, MEG and MRI before and after tumor surgery. Cognitive and brain network measures are studied in relation to cellular characteristics of resected brain tumor tissue | info for patients (in Dutch)
GOALS2 | longitudinal observational study in postoperative glioma patients using EEG, MEG and MRI to predict tumor progression | preregistration on OSF | info for patients (in Dutch)
GuaRding quality survivorshIP (GRIP) | main goal is improving quality of life in glioma patients through different types of interventions | GRIP website (in Dutch) | background info (in Dutch)
GRASS | improving anxiety/depression using cannabidiol | info for patients
FeelFit | improving physical fitness using high intensity interval training (HIIT)
GRIP on fatigue | improving fatigue using cognitive behavioral therapy | study protocol | info for patients
TRUE-GRIT | improving cognition using rTMS and cognitive strategy training
T-MULT | exploring the impact of TMS induced virtual lesions on the multimodal brain network and cognition in healthy participants | preregistration on OSF | info for participants
Microscale | studying resected and/or post-mortem brain (tumor) tissue using fluorescent immunohistochemistry, cell culture and microscopy
Multiscale Network Neuroscience 