Scientist responsible: Dr. Greetje Vanhoutte

The University of Antwerp is a knowledge centre with 3.400 co-workers that performs ground-breaking and innovative research of international standing. The university takes special care to ensure optimum support and supervision of students, an

d pays constant attention to educational innovation. The university is an autonomous pluralistic institution that is committed to the enhancement of an open, democratic and multicultural society, and it pursues an equal opportunities policy.

The core business of the Bio-Imaging Lab is high resolution neuroMRI focusing on neurodegeneration, neuronal plasticity and brain activity upon somatosensoric, visual and auditory stimuli. The research is performed on rat and mouse models for different neuropathologies and on songbirds as a model for neuronal plasticity, auditory processing and learning. The lab has 7Tesla 16 cm and a 9.4Tesla 20 cm horizontal bore MRI systems from Bruker (Germany) and a Bioluminescence camera including a Fluorescence module from Biospace (France). The lab is well equipped for monitoring, anesthesia and small surgical intervention in small animals. Currently the research Team consists of 19 members (5 postdoc and 10 PhD students) and the group was founded 15 years ago.
Experience and knowledge in the field of activity: The expertise of the Bio-Imaging Lab is in the area of neuro-imaging in small animal models. The Bio-Imaging Lab focuses on the application of innovative tools in suitable animal models and this in a non-invasive in-vivo manner which results in experimental imaging protocols of high scientific value. The Bio-Imaging Lab is also a core facility of the University of Antwerp.
Contribution to the Project: In vivo imaging of amyloid plaques in the brain of mouse models for AD for both diagnostic and therapeutic purpose using specially engineered nanoparticles.
References, patents and experiences at a European level relevant to the Project: The lab is European Centre of Excellence for micro MRI and Prof. Dr. Annemie Van der Linden is 1) steering member in two different EC Networks of Excellence: EMIL
(European Molecular Imaging Labs) and DIMI (Diagnostic Molecular Imaging), 2) partner in a STREP EC project RATstream (European project on the characterisation of transgenic rat models for neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases: Automated home cage analyses, live imaging and treatment), 3) partner in a European Master Programme on Molecular Imaging (EMMI).

10 representative References (* relevant for this project)

Van der Linden A., Verhoye M., Pörtner H.O., Bock C..- The strengths of in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MR) to study environmental adaptional physiology in fish.- In: MAGMA, :3(2004), p. 1-13 (IF 1.431)

*Vanhoutte G., Dewachter I., Borghgraef P., van Leuven F., Van der Linden A.- Noninvasive in vivo MRI detection of neuritic plaques associated with iron in APP[V717I] transgenic mice, a model for Alzheimer's disease.- In: Magnetic resonance in medicine, 53:3(2005), p. 607-613 (IF 3.313)

Van Meir Vincent, Boumans Tiny, de Groof Geert, van Audekerke Johan, Smolders Alain, Scheunders Paul, Sijbers Jan, Verhoye Marleen, Balthazart Jacques, Van der Linden Annemie - Spatiotemporal properties of the BOLD response in the songbirds' auditory circuit during a variety of listening tasks.- In: NeuroImage, 25:4(2005), p. 1242-1255 (IF 6.192)

Vanhoutte G., Verhoye M., Van der Linden A. - Changing body temperature affects the T*2 signal in the rat brain and reveals hypothalamic activity.- In: Magnetic resonance in medicine, 55:5(2006), p. 1006-1012 (IF 3.25)

De Groof Geert, Verhoye Marleen, van Meir Vincent, Tindemans Ilse, Leemans Alexander, Van der Linden Annemie - In vivo diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of brain subdivisions and vocal pathways in songbirds.- In: NeuroImage, 29:3(2006), p. 754-763 (IF 5.559)

Van Meir Vincent, Pavlova Denitza, Verhoye Marleen, Pinxten Rianne, Balthazart Jacques, Eens Marcel, Van der Linden Annemie.- In vivo MR imaging of the seasonal volumetric and functional plasticity of song control nuclei in relation to song output in a female songbird.- In: NeuroImage, 31:3(2006), p. 981-992 (IF 5.559)

*Van Broeck Bianca, Vanhoutte Greet, Pirici Daniel, van Dam Debby, Wils Hans, Cuijt Ivy, Vennekens Krist'l, Zabielski Monika, Michalik Andrej, Theuns Jessie, de Deyn Peter Paul, Van der Linden Annemie, Van Broeckhoven Christine, Kumar-Singh Samir.- Intraneuronal amyloid β and reduced brain volume in a novel APP T714I mouse model for Alzheimer's disease.- In: Neurobiology of aging, (2006).- doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2006.10.016 (IF 5.599)

Van der Linden A, Van Camp N, Ramos-Cabrer P, Hoehn M. Current status of functional MRI on small animals: application to physiology, pathophysiology, and cognition. NMR Biomed. 2007 Aug;20(5):522-45. Review.  (IF 3.063)

*Van Broeck B, Vanhoutte G, Cuijt I, Pereson S, Joris G, Timmermans JP, Van der Linden A, Van Broeckhoven C, Kumar-Singh Reduced brain volumes in mice expressing APP-Austrian mutation but not in mice expressing APP-Swedish-Austrian mutations. S. Neurosci Lett. 2008 Dec 12;447(2-3):143-7 (I.F. 2.085)

Bergwerf Irene, de Vocht Nathalie, Tambuyzer Bart, Verschueren Jacob, Reekmans Kristien, Daans Jasmijn, Ibrahimi Abdelilah, van Tendeloo Vigor, Chatterjee Shyama, Goossens Herman, Jorens Philippe, Baekelandt Veerle, Ysebaert Dirk, van Marck Eric, Berneman Zwi Nisan, Van der Linden Anne-Marie, Ponsaerts Peter.- Reporter gene-expressing bone marrow-derived stromal cells are immune-tolerated following implantation in the central nervous system of syngeneic immunocompetent mice.- In: BMC biotechnology, (2009), p. 1-14 (IF 2.747)

C. Poirier, T. Boumans, M. Verhoye, J. Balthazart, A. Van Der Linden (2009): Own Song Recognition in the Songbird Auditory Pathway: selectivity and lateralization, The Journal of Neuroscience, February 18, 2009  29(7):2252–2258  (IF 8.045)

Van der Linden A., Van Meir V., Boumans T., Poirier C. and Balthazart J. (2009) MRI in small brains displaying extensive plasticity.  In press in TINS (Trends in Neurosciences) IF (14.325)