On November 1, 2024, Henne Holstege was appointed as a Principal Investigator at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research. While taking on this new role, she will remain actively involved with Amsterdam UMC, continuing her research on the genetics of neurodegenerative diseases and healthy aging.
Henne has dedicated her career to understanding the genetic mechanisms behind neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive resilience in the oldest old. Her groundbreaking research on cognitively healthy centenarians has provided key insights into the biological factors that protect against age-related cognitive decline, potentially paving the way for new preventive strategies against Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Her fascination with healthy aging was sparked by the exceptional brain of Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper, who passed away at 115 as the oldest Dutch person ever recorded. Despite her advanced age, her brain showed characteristics more typical of a 60-year-old. This discovery to investigate the genetic factors that contribute to healthy cognitive aging.
At Amsterdam UMC, she established a research section focused on identifying genetic and genomic factors involved in neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s. She also built one of the world’s largest cohorts of cognitively healthy centenarians, providing a valuable resource for studying resilience to dementia.
In her new position at VIB-KU Leuven, Dr. Holstege will further explore the molecular mechanisms of aging while maintaining her collaboration with Amsterdam UMC. By uncovering why some individuals remain dementia-free, she aims to identify protective factors and translate these findings into therapies that can benefit a broader population. Her dual affiliation strengthens international collaboration and innovation in the field of neurodegenerative disease research, fostering new insights into aging and cognitive health.
