UTFacultiesTNWResearchDept BISCNPHPeopleScientific staffDr. M.C. (Marleen) Tjepkema-Cloostermans

Dr. M.C. (Marleen) Tjepkema-Cloostermans

EXTERN: Medisch Sectrum Twente (MST)
E-mail: M.Tjepkema-Cloostermans@mst.nl

General information

My name is Marleen Tjepkema-Cloostermans and I am born in Enschede on August 6th, 1985. During my high school I was already interested in the technical subjects as well as in the medical field. After finishing my high school, I wanted to do a technical study with applications in the medical field. I found this combination in the study Technical Medicine at the University of Twente. After my bachelor degree, I have chosen the Master track ‘Medical Signalling’. This master focuses on measuring and analyzing biological signals and on modelling the biological systems behind these signals. Neurology and the functioning of the human brain have always fascinated me and therefore I performed my master thesis in the Clinical Neurology department of the Medical Spectrum Twente hospital. During that year my interest in the neuroscience became even larger and I decided to continue working in this field. Since September 2009, I work as a PhD student at the laboratory of Clinical Neurophysiology at the University of Twente. My project is about the modelling of neurons and the oxygenation of neurons. Thereby I hope to increase the insight of the functioning of the brain in normal and pathological conditions.

Research interests

Neural Modeling and Oxygenation

This project is part of the larger ViP Brain networks project. The general goal of ViP Brain networks is to develop innovative integrated technologies for prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of ischaemic disorders of the human brain.

The specific goal of this project is to develop a three-dimensional functional model of the neurovascular unit, comprising neurons, glia cells, and their energy supply. The model will generate rhythms, that may serve as prototype EEG signals, that are validated with actual recordings in patients suffering from ischaemic disorders. This model will improve our understanding of the relation between brain rhythms, function and neuroplasticity. This includes the potential for recovery in the acute phase of a stroke, rehabilitation and post-stroke epilepsy. In addition, we expect the model to contribute to the prevention and treatment of stroke.