Prof. Dr. A.M.J.M. (Arn) van den Maagdenberg, PhD

I am basic researcher in the Departments of Human Genetics and Neurology and am member of the management of the LUMC research theme Neuroscience. I studied Biology at the Catholic University Nijmegen and received PhD from Leiden University in 1993, worked elsewhere as postdoc and was appointed professor at the LUMC in 2011. My research interest is to perform “translational research” by applying basic neurogenetic and neurobiological approaches to clinically relevant questions. My group performs neuro-research to unravel pathophysiological mechanisms of migraine and related disorders such as other primary headaches, ataxia, and epilepsy, which I also apply to other relevant neurological disorders among which is RVCL-S. My neurogenetic research entails a range of molecular genetic approaches, e.g. genome-wide association studies, next generation sequencing, and -omics techniques to identify disease genes, pathways and mechanisms.

I co-authored over 350 scientific publications, including various influential review articles, and multiple book chapters. Also I recent many grants, including various EU grants to study headache. My research likes with several research themes, foremost Neuroscience, but also Medical Genomics, Regenerative Medicine and Cardio-Vascular. My genetic and functional brain research has provided clear indications that the function of brain cells and the communication with blood vessels is compromised. The search for better treatment of patients with paroxysmal disorders uses this information in various ways. With renowned headache specialists of the LUMC I develop in the LUMC patient-related research, that involves monitoring and modulation of brain activity in de clinic at, in due time, at home, as well as basic research using advanced animal models. More recently, cultured human organ structures are used in my research to ensure a more direct translation to the clinic.