Martien Kas: Researches the neurobiology of social behavior and sensory information processing.
“We research the biological causes of common mental and neurological disorders, such as depression and dementia, and contribute to better understanding and developing new treatment methods for these brain diseases. Social functioning and sensory information processing, such as the perception of smell and sounds, are often impaired in multiple brain diseases, regardless of the clinical diagnosis. My research is therefore characterized as transdiagnostic and translational.
In sensory information processing, we look at the processing of a stimulus from the environment, such as a tone or an odor. The brain processes this stimulus, and we observe the resulting brain activity or behavior as a consequence of this stimulus. We conduct animal research to demonstrate which brain circuits are actually responsible for this. In humans, you can show correlations between brain activity and behavior, but not the causal relationship. By turning certain brain systems on or off and observing what this does to an animal, you can uncover the biological cause of a behavioral change. Additionally, we can investigate which genes and proteins in the brain are involved, which can serve as targets for potential interventions.
Depending on the research question, you can use different model systems. Some questions can be studied in cells. Because our research is very focused on behavior and processing of environmental stimuli, this can only be studied in an animal that can also exhibit this behavior. We try to mimic the natural environment of laboratory animals as much as possible.
In our research, we use methods that have been developed and refined over the years to minimize the discomfort of laboratory animals before, during, and after the experiment. An example of this is expanding cage enrichment and social contact between the animals during the experiment.
When the question allows, we certainly use alternatives to animal experiments. Think, for example, of cells or fruit flies. But, of course, you always have to choose the most optimal system to answer your research question.”