Esther van Leeuwen

My research project focusses on the inflammatory response after ischemic stroke. I am evaluating the possibility to image neuroinflammation in vivo, caused by an ischemic stroke using advanced molecular imaging techniques. Secondly, I am exploring novel therapeutic endocannabinoids which are hypothesized to target the detrimental parts of the inflammatory response after stroke. In this project we propose to test the hypothesis that specific targeting of immune cells with ligands that modulate the cannabinoid system improves functional recovery by reducing inflammation after stroke. For the development of a novel therapy, a fundamental step is to determine the optimal therapeutic window after ischemic stroke. In this project our aim is to determine the optimal timing of treatment, by visualizing the in vivo inflammatory response after ischemic stroke using magnetic resonance imaging. After establishing the optimal timing for therapy, therapeutic studies will be executed with several promising endocannabinoid therapeutical targets.


Vera Wielenga

White matter motor tracts are the highways through which signals from the motor cortex are relayed to other areas in the brain, and down to the spinal cord and the limbs. Stroke can result in loss of motor function, but most patient also show some form of spontaneous recovery, highlighting the brain’s capacity for recovery. However, recovery trajectories in patients vary widely. Damage to motor tracts is a complex problem, and its contribution to the potential for recovery after stroke is incompletely understood. My project focusses on better understanding the cause and consequences of changes to white matter motor tracts after stroke and how this influences functional recovery. In this project, we work with various rodent stroke models. By combining MR imaging, behavioural, cellular and electrophysiological techniques, we aim to obtain a comprehensive view of the recovery processes in white matter motor tracts after stroke.