Former Staff Member

Ruth VREYS



RECENT RESEARCH TOPICS

Much excitement has been generated by the identification of adult brain regions harbouring neural stem cells and their continual generation of new neurons throughout life. These findings bring with them future possibilities for the development of novel neural repair strategies based on manipulation of endogenous stem cells. MRI has recently become a powerful tool for in vivo non-invasive monitoring of the migration of stem cells labelled with a MR contrast agent. The goal of the research work of Ruth Vreys is the development of a protocol for labelling endogenous neuronal stem cells in situ and the visualization of their recruitment and incorporation with in vivo MRI in the mouse brain.

Publications

• In vivo monitoring of adult neurogenesis in health and disease.
  S. Couillard-Despres, R. Vreys, L. Aigner, A. Van Der Linden.
  Frontiers in Neurogenesis, in press
• Evaluation of the specificity and sensitivity of ferritin as an MRI reporter gene in the mouse brain using lentiviral and adeno-associated viral vectors.
  G. Vande Velde, J.R. Rangarajan, J. Toelen, T. Dresselaers, A. Ibrahimi, O. Krylychkina, R. Vreys, A. Van der Linden, F. Maes, Z. Debyser, U. Himmelreich, V. Baekelandt.
  Gene Ther. in press 2011.
• Background migration of USPIO/MLs is a major drawback for in situ labeling of endogenous neural progenitor cells.
  R. Vreys, S.J. Soenen, M. De Cuyper, A. Van der Linden.
  Contrast Media Mol Imaging 2011; 6(1), p.1-6.