A.J. Kiliaan

Prof. A.J. Kiliaan is a Professor at the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center. Her research focuses on obesity, hypertension, and their roles as vascular risk factors for brain disorders such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease, and cerebral small vessel disease. She investigates the impact of nutrition on brain structure and function using mouse models and advanced neuroimaging techniques like MRI, MRS, and DTI. Collaborations include the Dept. of Radiology (Prof. Arend Heerschap), Neurology, Geriatrics, Psychiatry, and industrial partners like Danone Research and TNO.

Key research themes include:

• Effects of diets on neuronal systems from development to neurodegeneration
• Cerebral circulation and metabolism in cognitive disorders
• Functional and structural connectivity studies using high-field MR systems
• Pathological analysis of synaptic loss, amyloid deposition, and hippocampal atrophy

Her work bridges clinical and translational research through EU consortia and projects addressing obesity prevention, bariatric surgery outcomes, and biomarker identification for neurodegenerative diseases. She leads the Cerebral Circulation and Cognition in Mice research group and has secured grants totaling over €2 million in collaborative initiatives.