Ronja Kremer

Thesis title: Understanding the Heterogeneity of ATP11B Expression in Endothelial Cells and their Impact on Small Vessel Disease

Biography

Background

I started my career by studying Psychology in Maastricht. Very much fascinated by the biological side of things, I went on to do my Masters Degree in Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, focusing on biochemical underpinnings of neurological disorders. I completed my masters thesis with Prof Bill Colledge at the University of Cambridge, where I investigated gene expression changes in Kiss1 neurons in the arcuate nucleus before and after puberty. I am now part of Prof Anna William's lab here at the University of Edinburgh as a Clinical Research Training Fellow and PhD student. The focus of my research is the molecular build of small vessel disease, focusing on endothelial cells. 

Qualifications

BSc Psychology, Maastricht University

MSc Cognitive & Clinical Neuroscience, Spec. Fundamental Neuroscience, Maastricht University

MSc Cognitive & Clinical Neuroscience, Research Internship, University of Cambridge

Current research interests

The Williams lab has previously developed a preclinical animal model of SVD - the transgenic Atp11bKO rat, which has pathological, behavioural and magnetic resonance imaging changes similar to human SVD, even at early ages, but increasing in severity with age. This is a global KO of Atp11b in all cells, but a major clinical effect appears to relate directly to the endothelial cells, despite Atp11b being expressed globally also in other brain cells. Furthermore, Atp11b has variable expression, expressed highly in some endothelial cells but not others, even in the same cross-section of blood vessel. We currently don’t understand this heterogeneous expression, nor what effect this has functionally, when present or absent. Therefore, my project will focus on a conditional rescue model of Atp11b, to better understand its effects on endothelial cells and its impact on pathological, imaging and behavioral phenotype in the Atp11bKO rat.
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