Kirsten Kapteijns

My name is Kirsten Kapteijns and I joined Rick Helmich’s lab in 2023. My research focusses on the rare genetic movement disorder Spinocerebellar Ataxia type 1 (SCA1). SCA1 mainly manifests in the cerebellum, which is therefore my main region of interest in the brain. We are looking to find objective biomarkers that could help us reach trial readiness for upcoming therapies, as well as give us insight into the mechanisms behind the disease. Within a larger team of SCA researchers my main aim is to evaluate a wide array of MRI markers, including functional MRI, MR Spectroscopy, and diffusion MRI.