Leonard van den Berg
Professor in Neurology, department of Neurology and Neurosurgery UMC Utrecht
Though care and speed of diagnosis have improved, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) still remains a deadly disease with no known cure. Neurologist Leonard van den Berg from the UMC Utrecht digs into the genetics of ALS to better understand the cause of the disease. He identified many involved genes, which point to underlying biological mechanisms. One day, these insights could lead the way to possible new drugs.
Van den Berg tries to understand ALS on different levels. He uses whole genome sequencing to identify genetic risk factors, and in addition, analyzes gene expression levels in blood cells and fibroblasts. Medical imaging, 3T and 7T MR scanners, is employed to visualize disease progression in the motoric cortex. Also, the researchers are interested in changes in brain connectivity. A preclinical research line, in cooperation with Jeroen Pasterkamp [link], probes the neuronal proteins involved in ALS.
Clinical epidemiology is another major research line. In an ambitious project hundreds of ALS patients fill in lifestyle questionnaires and are matched with healthy controls. Next to lifestyle factors also occupational exposure to chemicals is mapped. The results should provide clues to environmental triggers that are suspected to influence the start of ALS.
“Medical students, both from the regular and summa program are welcome, just like biology and biomedical sciences students. Typically two to three students work in our department. During six or nine months they cooperate with a PhD student and participate fully in our very cutting edge research.”