About the Department of Medical Genomics   

History

The section of Medical Genomics (in Dutch: Medische Genoomanalyse, MGA) was founded in 2003 by the VU University Medical Center (VUmc) and by the Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR) by merging two research groups: the Department of Human Genetics of the VUmc and the group of Peter Heutink, who came to the Vrije Universiteit in July 2003 from the Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam.

Current setting

The section of Medical Genomics (MGA) is embedded in the Department of Human Genetics (Cluster 3) and currently consists of approximately 20 people located within the Faculty of Life Sciences of the Vrije Universiteit. There is a close collaboration with the Department of Biological Psychology (Faculty of Psychology & Paedagogy) of the Vrije Universiteit.

Main research focus

The two research groups that merged into the Department of Medical Genomics continue to have their own specific reserach topics:

  • Genetics of neurodegenerative diseases
  • Genetics of behavioral traits and psychiatric illnesses
  • Genome variation, populations and human evolution
  • Vanishing White Matter Diseases in collaboration with the Department of Child Neurology