Theme 3: Development and lifelong plasticity
This theme focuses on plasticity, referring to the capacity to continuously alter neural structure and function in response to experience or injury. This capacity is genetically co-determined driven by conserved preprogrammed biological events as well as individual genetic and environmental factors, and can take place at the level of molecules up to the organism and an entire population.
Plasticity contributes to development, learning and memory, responses to environmental stimuli (e.g. stress) and ageing, and can lead to both adaptation and maladaptation of organisms or a population relative to their life stage and environment. Plasticity can thereby support healthy conditions and contribute to prevention or increased resilience, but can also lead to mental brain disease and influence treatment responsiveness. Since the brain does not function in isolation, also the influences of somatic and social processes on brain function are studied.
Fundamental and clinical neuroscience
This theme covers fundamental and clinical research based on cell systems, organoids, animal models and research in healthy volunteers as well as patients. These levels of research are linked together through extensive interactions between researchers and translational methodologies.
Knowledge derived from this approach is used to inform a diversity of clinical fields that strive to improve mental and physical health throughout the lifespan, including clinical genetics, pediatrics, geriatrics, neurology, psychiatry, psychology, and vascular medicine.
See our list of lead scientists for researchers and research groups linked to this theme.
Contact
Judith Homberg, speaker of this theme
T: 024-3610906
E: judith.homberg@radboudumc.nl
Secretary
Researchers and research groups
Alejandro Arias Vasquez
Principal Investigator
Genetic Epidemiology of Brain Traits and Neuropsychiatric Disorders
Francesco Battaglia 
Principal Investigator
Neuronal Networks of Memory
Hans van Bokhoven
Principal Investigator
Molecular Neurogenetics
Inti Brazil 
Associate Principal Investigator
Systems Approach to Maladaptive Behaviour & Antisociality (SAMBA)
Han Brunner
Principal Investigator
Human Genetics
Jurgen Claassen
Principal Investigator
Cerebral Circulation and Cognition in Aging Humans
Martin Dresler
Principal Investigator
Sleep and Memory
Guillén Fernández 
Principal Investigator
Memory and Emotion
Barbara Franke 
Principal Investigator
Genetics of Brain Function and (Psychiatric) Malfunction
Lisa Genzel 
Principal Investigator
Joanes Grandjean 
Associate Principal Investigator
Preclinical Neuroimaging
Corina Greven 
Principal Investigator
Positive Developmental Psychopathology
Marloes Henckens 
Associate Principal Investigator
Stress-related psychopathology
Anne-Sophie Hafner
Principal Investigator
Molecular dynamics of the Synapse
Erno Hermans 
Principal Investigator
Cognitive Affective Neuroscience
Judith Homberg 
Principal Investigator
Behavioural Neurogenetics
Gabriele Janzen 
Associate Principal Investigator
Neural Correlates of Spatial Memory
Roy Kessels 
Principal Investigator
Neuropsychology and Rehabilitation Psychology
Amanda Kiliaan 
Principal Investigator
Cerebral Circulation and Cognition in Mice and Men
Tjitske Kleefstra 
Associate Principal Investigator
Psychopathology in rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorders
Nils Kohn 
Associate Principal Investigator
Brain Networks in Regulation
Sharon Kolk 
Associate Principal Investigator
Neurodevelopment
Raymond Koopmans 
Principal Investigator
Long-term dementia
Marijn Kuijpers 
Principal Investigator
Molecular Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration
Nanda Lambregts-Rommelse 
Principal Investigator
Bridging the gap between science and practice for ADHD
Nael Nadif Kasri 
Principal Investigator
Molecular Neurophysiology
Freyja Ólafsdóttir 
Research Fellow
Neural Mechanisms of Episodic and Spatial Memory
Theme: Natural Computing & Neurotechnology
Theme: Perception, Action and Decision-making
Marcel Olde Rikkert 
Principal Investigator
Alzheimer Center Nijmegen
Joukje Oosterman 
Associate Principal Investigator
Cognitive Aging
Benno Roozendaal
Principal Investigator
Behavioural Neuroscience
Eric Ruhe (personal page under construction) 
Principal Investigator
Innovative Neurobiological Treatments of Difficult to treat Depression: Mechanisms, Effectiveness and Implementation
Annette Schenck
Principal Investigator
Drosophila Models of Brain Disorders
Anne Speckens 
Principal Investigator
Affective disorders
Emma Sprooten 
Associate Principal Investigator
Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Genetics
Wouter Staal 
Associate Principal Investigator
Translational research in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Erik Storkebaum 
Principal Investigator
Molecular Neurobiology
Indira Tendolkar
Associate Principal Investigator
Clinical neuroscience in psychiatry
Joris Veltman 
Principal Investigator
Genomic Diseases
Marcel Verbeek 
Principal Investigator
Neurochemistry of Neurodegeneration
Lisenka Vissers 
Associate Principal Investigator
Translational Genomics
Bert de Vries 
Principal Investigator
Genomic profiling in intellectual disability
Carolina de Weerth
Principal Investigator
Developmental Psychobiology Lab
Iris Wiegand 
Associate Principal Investigator
Neuropsychology and Rehabilitation Psychology
Gert Jan van der Wilt
Associate Principal Investigator