Michiel Kleinnijenhuis
Post-doctoral MRI physicist
In my research, I'm developing methods to measure the microstructure of the brain. We expect that with our improved methods and models will be able to address a range of questions that have been difficult to answer with existing techniques. Foremost, we would like to investigate which microstructural changes are involved in white matter plasticity (after learning a new motor skill, for example).
The techniques I focus on are diffusion MRI and susceptibility MRI. With diffusion MRI we can probe the movement of molecules through the brain, as they interact with cell membranes. Our aim is to derive quantities that capture tissue properties such as axonal density, diameter, direction and dispersion. With susceptibility MRI, we investigate the properties of the myelin sheet that surrounds most long-distance axons. I combine these MRI methods with other anatomical techniques (such as electron microscopy, polarized light imaging, and histology) to validate and interpret the MRI measures.
Doing research on the interface between physics and neuroscience as stimulating a job you can have. I believe that bridging the microscopic and macroscopic scales is one of the main undertakings neuroscience is faced with in the next decade (or so). The prospect of integration of explanations of brain function on multiple levels is one of my main drives.
Key publications
-
Diffusion tensor characteristics of gyrencephaly using high resolution diffusion MRI in vivo at 7T.
Journal article
Kleinnijenhuis M. et al, (2015), Neuroimage, 109, 378 - 387
-
Layer-specific diffusion weighted imaging in human primary visual cortex in vitro.
Journal article
Kleinnijenhuis M. et al, (2013), Cortex, 49, 2569 - 2582
-
Structure Tensor Informed Fiber Tractography (STIFT) by combining gradient echo MRI and diffusion weighted imaging.
Journal article
Kleinnijenhuis M. et al, (2012), Neuroimage, 59, 3941 - 3954
-
Combining fiber dissection, plastination, and tractography for neuroanatomical education: Revealing the cerebellar nuclei and their white matter connections.
Journal article
Arnts H. et al, (2014), Anat Sci Educ, 7, 47 - 55
-
Golf performance enhancement and real-life neurofeedback training using personalized event-locked EEG profiles
Journal article
Arns M. et al, (2007), Journal of Neurotherapy, 11, 11 - 18
Recent publications
-
Joint modelling of diffusion MRI and microscopy.
Journal article
Howard AF. et al, (2019), Neuroimage, 201
-
The spatial correspondence and genetic influence of interhemispheric connectivity with white matter microstructure.
Journal article
Mollink J. et al, (2019), Nat Neurosci, 22, 809 - 819
-
The spatial correspondence and genetic influence of interhemispheric connectivity with white matter microstructure.
Journal article
Mollink J. et al, (2019), Nat Neurosci, 22, 809 - 819
-
Choice of reference measurements affects quantification of long diffusion time behaviour using stimulated echoes.
Journal article
Kleinnijenhuis M. et al, (2018), Magn Reson Med, 79, 952 - 959
-
The effect of realistic geometries on the susceptibility-weighted MR signal in white matter.
Journal article
Xu T. et al, (2018), Magn Reson Med, 79, 489 - 500