The MOLAR research program focuses on the process of brain ageing and on exploring new preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic neuroregenerative approaches to neurodegenerative diseases, namely in the form of dietary supplements, drug development and through the development of novel biotechnological tools, e.g. cell-based therapy.
The program develops also novel tools for ageing research, including iPS cell systems, specialized animal model systems, novel imaging techniques and PET ligands. The level of research within the program ranges from basic neuroscience to clinical research with the intention to apply newly acquired scientific knowledge in the clinic. This is achieved by the establishment of broad collaborations between the departments of Neuroscience, Cell Biology, Genetics, Pathology, Neurology, Neurosurgery and NMMI (Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging), and with the European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing (ERIBA).
MOLAR supports three main lines of research performed by three groups:
- Neurodegenerative diseases
- Neuro-repair strategies
- Imaging of neurodegenerative diseases
MOLAR is firmly embedded in the Healthy Ageing consortium Ageing Brain of the UMCG and participates in a large PhD network on brain ageing research: the European Ageing Brain Network.
In addition, MOLAR coordinates the North Netherlands center for MS research and NoNe-Gon: a network of 13 memory clinics in the North of the Netherland.
Finally, the neuroimaging activities of MOLAR are performed in close collaboration with the Center for Medical Imaging North East Netherlands (CMI).