Principal investigators

	Pilar Martinez-Martinez, Prof., PhD, PI, is trained in molecular biology, biochemistry and neuroimmunology. She is Professor of 'Neuroinflammation in neuropsychiatric disorders at the department of Psychiatry and Psychology Division Neuroscience at the School for Mental Health and Neuroscience at Maastricht University. She is the PI of several European grants examining neuroinflammation with special focus in neurodegenerative diseases and its relationship with the sphingolipid metabolism. Specifically, she has studied CERT and developed the technology to measure and to modulate CERT expression levels. Additionally she has long lasting expertise in translational neurosciences, and her research focus on understanding the molecular pathogenic mechanisms and uses new therapeutic approaches in animal models with peripheral nervous system and central nervous system disease. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pilar-martinez-234a8a36/
	Mario Losen, Ph.D., is trained in molecular biology, biochemistry and neuroimmunology. He is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology Division Neuroscience at the School for Mental Health and Neuroscience at Maastricht University. He has been awarded numerous competitive grants: a VENI (NWO), a fellowship from the Hersenstichting and a PBF grant and has conducted several investigator initiated grants from industry. He is PI in the Research Group Nervous System Neuroinflammation and Autoimmunity. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mario-losen-b9029232/?originalSubdomain=nl
	Peter Molenaar, PhD, is senior scientist at the department of Psychiatry and Psychology Division Neuroscience at the School for Mental Health and Neuroscience at Maastricht University. He is trained as a pharmacologist and he has a special interest in diseases with dysfunctional neuronal ion channels (channelopathies). As an associate professor he was formerly heading a neuromuscular research group at the Leiden University Medical Centre.   Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petermolenaar85ab1748/?originalSubdomain=be
	Marina Mané Damas, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Research group neuroinflammation and autoimmunity at the Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology at the Mental Health and Neuroscience Research Institute at Maastricht University. Marina started her career in research during the bachelor internship in neuromuscular diseases group in Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute. In 2012 she received her bachelor’s degree in biotechnology at Rovira i Virgili University (Spain) and subsequently performed her Master degree education in Neuroscience at University of Barcelona (Spain) where she graduated in 2013. She worked as a research assistant in Immune receptors of the innate and adaptive system in Institut d’Invertigacions Biomedediques Agust Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS). In December 2014 she started her PhD and worked among other things in a project funded by the Nederlandse organisatie voor gezondheidsonderzoek en zorginnovatie (ZonMw). During her PhD she studied the prevalence and mechanisms of action of autoantibodies from patients with psychotic disorders and she has been also involved in the study of pathogenicity and drug mechanisms in other antibody mediated neuromuscular disorders such as Myasthenia gravis. Afterwards, she received a personal Kootstra Talent Fellowship that allowed her to continue her research as a Post-doc, where she worked to develop novel preclinical models and investigated the different effector functions of pathogenic autoantibodies and novel therapeutic strategies using in vitro and in vivo assays in different antibody mediated autoimmune disorders. Currently, she is involved in the supervision and management of several projects and PhD students. She is interested on revealing the role of the thymus in the development of autoimmunity with special interest in Myasthenia gravis, as thymic abnormalities are often associated with this disorder.   Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marinaman%C3%A9damas1bb07087/?originalSubdomain=nl

Collaborators from MUMC+ 

Dr. Rob Rouhl, MD, Neurologist

Dr. Jan Damaseoux, PhD, MD, Laboratory Specialist Medical Immunology

Dr. Florit Marcuse, PhD, MD, Pulmonologist

Dr. Janneke hoeijmakers, PhD, MD, Neurologist

Prof. Dr. Jos Maessen, MD, Cardio thoracic surgeon

Prof. Dr. Therese van Amelsfoort, MD, Psychiatrist

Prof. Dr. Bart Rutten, MD, Psychiatrist

Prof. Dr. Marc de Baets (Professor Emeritus), MD, clinical immunolgist /specialist in internal medicine/neuroimmunologist

Prof. Dr. Wim Buurman (Professor Emeritus), MD, Metabolism and Immunity