lab

Human stem cell modeling of neuropsychiatric disorders

Lab Members

Femke de Vrij
Dr. Femke de Vrij (F.M.S.)
Associate Professor
Lab Head
Maurits Unkel
Maurits Unkel
Phd Student
Bas Lendemeijer
Bas Lendemeijer
Phd Student
Hilde Smeenk
Hilde Smeenk
Phd Student
Maria Madejon Sanchez
Maria Madejon Sanchez
Master Student
Mirle Buurma
Mirle Buurma
Master Student
Sitara Chakrasali
Sitara Chakrasali
Master Student
Deniz Gulyurt
Deniz Gulyurt
Master Student
Zoe Bartalits
Zoe Bartalits
Master Student
Juliette Kamp
Juliette Kamp
Scientific Researcher
Mark van der Kroeg
Mark van der Kroeg
Research Technician
Anniek Meesters
Anniek Meesters
Research Technician
Sakshi Bansal
Sakshi Bansal
Scientific Researcher

Recent Publications

A simplified protocol for the generation of cortical brain organoids.

Eigenhuis KN, Somsen HB, van der Kroeg M, Smeenk H, Korporaal AL, Kushner SA, de Vrij FMS, van den Berg DLC
in Frontiers in cellular neuroscience 2023

The neuroinvasiveness, neurotropism, and neurovirulence of SARS-CoV-2.

Bauer L, Laksono BM, de Vrij FMS, Kushner SA, Harschnitz O, van Riel D
in Trends in neurosciences 2022

Second-tier trio exome sequencing after negative solo clinical exome sequencing: an efficient strategy to increase diagnostic yield and decipher molecular bases in undiagnosed developmental disorders.

Tran Mau-Them F, Moutton S, Racine C, Vitobello A, Bruel AL, Nambot S, Kushner SA, de Vrij FMS, Lehalle D, Jean-Marçais N, Lecoquierre F, Delanne J, Thevenon J, Poe C, Jouan T, Chevarin M, Geneviève D, Willems M, Coubes C, Houcinat N, Masurel-Paulet A, Mosca-Boidron AL, Tisserant E, Callier P, Sorlin A, Duffourd Y, Faivre L, Philippe C, Thauvin-Robinet C
in Human genetics 2020

Conserved UBE3A subcellular distribution between human and mice is facilitated by non-homologous isoforms.

Loss of nuclear UBE3A causes electrophysiological and behavioral deficits in mice and is associated with Angelman syndrome.

Avagliano Trezza R, Sonzogni M, Bossuyt SNV, Zampeta FI, Punt AM, van den Berg M, Rotaru DC, Koene LMC, Munshi ST, Stedehouder J, Kros JM, Williams M, Heussler H, de Vrij FMS, Mientjes EJ, van Woerden GM, Kushner SA, Distel B, Elgersma Y
in Nature neuroscience 2019

A functional variant in the miR-142 promoter modulating its expression and conferring risk of Alzheimer disease.

Ghanbari M, Munshi ST, Ma B, Lendemeijer B, Bansal S, Adams HH, Wang W, Goth K, Slump DE, van den Hout MCGN, van IJcken WFJ, Bellusci S, Pan Q, Erkeland SJ, de Vrij FMS, Kushner SA, Ikram MA
in Human mutation 2019

Novel genetic loci affecting facial shape variation in humans.

Xiong Z, Dankova G, Howe LJ, Lee MK, Hysi PG, de Jong MA, Zhu G, Adhikari K, Li D, Li Y, Pan B, Feingold E, Marazita ML, Shaffer JR, McAloney K, Xu SH, Jin L, Wang S, de Vrij FM, Lendemeijer B, Richmond S, Zhurov A, Lewis S, Sharp GC, Paternoster L, Thompson H, Gonzalez-Jose R, Bortolini MC, Canizales-Quinteros S, Gallo C, Poletti G, Bedoya G, Rothhammer F, Uitterlinden AG, Ikram MA, Wolvius E, Kushner SA, Nijsten TE, Palstra RT, Boehringer S, Medland SE, Tang K, Ruiz-Linares A, Martin NG, Spector TD, Stergiakouli E, Weinberg SM, Liu F, Kayser M
in eLife 2019

Candidate CSPG4 mutations and induced pluripotent stem cell modeling implicate oligodendrocyte progenitor cell dysfunction in familial schizophrenia.

de Vrij FM, Bouwkamp CG, Gunhanlar N, Shpak G, Lendemeijer B, Baghdadi M, Gopalakrishna S, Ghazvini M, Li TM, Quadri M, Olgiati S, Breedveld GJ, Coesmans M, Mientjes E, de Wit T, Verheijen FW, Beverloo HB, Cohen D, Kok RM, Bakker PR, Nijburg A, Spijker AT, Haffmans PMJ, Hoencamp E, Bergink V, Vorstman JA, Wu T, Olde Loohuis LM, Amin N, Langen CD, Hofman A, Hoogendijk WJ, van Duijn CM, Ikram MA, Vernooij MW, Tiemeier H, Uitterlinden AG, Elgersma Y, Distel B, Gribnau J, White T, Bonifati V, Kushner SA
in Molecular psychiatry 2018

The Zinc Transporter SLC39A7 (ZIP7) Is Essential for Regulation of Cytosolic Zinc Levels.

Woodruff G, Bouwkamp CG, de Vrij FM, Lovenberg T, Bonaventure P, Kushner SA, Harrington AW
in Molecular pharmacology 2018

Employed family-based genetic discovery combining linkage analysis and exome sequencing to identify RCL1 as a novel candidate gene for depression, with independent replication in a population-based cohort.

Amin N, de Vrij FMS, Baghdadi M, Brouwer RWW, van Rooij JGJ, Jovanova O, Uitterlinden AG, Hofman A, Janssen HLA, Murad SD, Kraaij R, Stedehouder J, van den Hout MCGN, Kros JM, van IJcken WFJ, Tiemeier H, Kushner SA, van Duijn CM
in Molecular psychiatry 2018

Homozygous missense mutation associated with complicated hereditary spastic paraplegia

Bouwkamp CG, Afawi Z, Fattal-Valevski A, Krabbendam IE, Rivetti S, Masalha R, Quadri M, Breedveld GJ, Mandel H, Tailakh MA, Beverloo HB, Stevanin G, Brice A, van IJcken WFJ, Vernooij MW, Dolga AM, de Vrij FMS, Bonifati V, Kushner SA
in Neurology. Genetics 2018

SOX10 Single Transcription Factor-Based Fast and Efficient Generation of Oligodendrocytes from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells.

García-León JA, Kumar M, Boon R, Chau D, One J, Wolfs E, Eggermont K, Berckmans P, Gunhanlar N, de Vrij F, Lendemeijer B, Pavie B, Corthout N, Kushner SA, Dávila JC, Lambrichts I, Hu WS, Verfaillie CM
in Stem cell reports 2018

Single transcription factor based generation of oligodendrocytes from human pluripotent stem cells.

García-León JA, Kumar M, Boon R, Chau D, One J, Wolfs E, Eggermonts K, Berckmans P, Gunhanlar N, De Vrij FM, Pavie B, Corthout N, Kushner SA, Carlos J, Dávila C, Lambrichts I, Hu WS, Verfaillie CM
in Stem Cell Reports 2018

No evidence for an interaction between 5-HTTLPR genotype and early life adversity in cortisol responsivity to psychosocial stress in women.

Aleknaviciute J, Tulen JHM, de Rijke YB, van der Kroeg M, Kooiman CG, Kushner SA
in BJPsych Open 2018

An expandable embryonic stem cell-derived Purkinje neuron progenitor population that exhibits in vivo maturation in the adult mouse cerebellum.

Higuera GA, Iaffaldano G, Bedar M, Shpak G, Broersen R, Munshi ST, Dupont C, Gribnau J, de Vrij FMS, Kushner SA, De Zeeuw CI
in Scientific reports 2017
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Vacancies

There are currently no vacancies on our lab.

Human iPSC-derived neurons expressing FOXP2 (red) and MAP2 (green).  Header: iPSC-derived cortical organoid

Human iPSC-derived neurons expressing FOXP2 (red) and MAP2 (green). Header: iPSC-derived cortical organoid