Neuroscientist Janina Kupke has received a Veni grant for her research into a fundamental question about the human brain: How can memories be preserved for years, even though the molecules that make up brain cells are constantly being renewed?
When we learn something, brain cells strengthen their connections with one another. These stronger connections form the basis of memories. Yet the proteins that build these connections are constantly being replaced. How the brain keeps memories intact despite this constant renewal remains largely unknown.
In her research, Kupke is investigating whether so-called epigenetic mechanisms play a key role in this process. Epigenetics determines which genes are active in a cell without altering the DNA itself. She is investigating whether these processes ensure that brain cells that store memories maintain stable connections with one another, even as their molecular building blocks are constantly being replaced.
Brain cells involved in storing memories
Using advanced microscopy and molecular analyses, Kupke studies brain cells involved in memory storage. By tracking changes in the connections between these cells and investigating how gene regulation and synaptic proteins interact, she aims to better understand how long-term memories are maintained.
Although the research is fundamental in nature, it may also have societal impact in the long term. A better understanding of how the brain stores lasting memories can provide insight into conditions in which memory becomes disrupted. Examples include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in which traumatic memories persist, or Alzheimer’s disease, in which memories are lost. The knowledge gained from this research may provide starting points for new treatments for these and other memory disorders in the future.
With the Veni grant, Kupke can further develop her own line of research at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and contribute to a better understanding of the biological basis of memory.