Specialization
Alzheimer's disease, PET imaging, MR imaging, Diagnosis, Prognosis.
Focus of research
Over the past decade, I have established an independent and internationally recognized research line centered on amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in Alzheimer’s disease. My research spans both translational and fundamental aspects of amyloid-PET, with the overarching aim of improving our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease heterogeneity and translating novel imaging biomarkers into clinical practice.
I am a certified amyloid-PET reader and have extensive expertise in the clinical interpretation and quantitative analysis of amyloid-PET, having assessed more than 10,000 scans and served as an independent reader for several internationally renowned institutes. At the same time, I continuously expand my research program in response to emerging scientific opportunities. My current research integrates novel PET-derived biomarkers, advanced PET technologies, and innovative analytical approaches. For example, my VENI-funded research investigates additional biological information that can be extracted from amyloid-PET, including cerebrovascular parameters, while also exploring the potential of whole-body PET and radiomics.
A central research interest is to understand the biological mechanisms underlying disease heterogeneity as reflected in amyloid-PET patterns. To address this question, I combine amyloid-PET with complementary neuroimaging modalities, genetics, proteomics, and advanced statistical and machine-learning approaches. This multidisciplinary perspective allows me to investigate how different pathological processes interact and contribute to variability in disease development and progression, with implications for both fundamental understanding and clinical risk stratification.
My research is strongly collaborative and international in nature. As former scientific coordinator of the IMI-funded AMYPAD consortium, I contributed to establishing a pan-European collaborative framework for data sharing and harmonized amyloid-PET research, resulting in a unique database of approximately 3,000 individuals. Through my involvement in the IHI-funded ACCESS-AD consortium and other international collaborations, I continue to build multidisciplinary networks that facilitate large-scale, multimodal research and accelerate translation into clinical practice.
My work has received national and international recognition, including two Alavi-Mandell Awards from the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) for clinically relevant research publications and the Alzheimer Nederland Research Talent Award in 2024. I am regularly invited to present my work at international workshops, courses, and scientific conferences.
Going forward, I aim to further develop an independent research program that combines advanced PET imaging, multimodal biomarkers, and quantitative methods to unravel disease heterogeneity and improve personalized approaches to Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment.