Dr. Henne Holstege majored in biochemistry at the University of Leiden in The Netherlands. She spent a year at Harvard University in Boston, where she explored the molecular mechanisms of satiety and how genetics influences this process. Following that, she pursued her Ph.D. at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, focusing on the genetic changes linked to the development of breast cancer. After earning her Ph.D., she aimed to apply her expertise in molecular genetics to the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases.

Currently, the cohort includes over 500 centenarians, from whom brain tissues, blood samples, DNA samples, and fecal samples are collected to investigate the genetics, neuropathology, neuropsychology, and immunology associated with escaping cognitive decline. To address the other end of the cognitive spectrum, her lab is also involved in a large international collaborative analysis of sequencing data from thousands of Alzheimer’s disease cases and cognitively healthy controls collected by large international consortia. Dr. Holstege and her collaborators are currently identifying novel genes associated with the increased or decreased risk of AD.

To learn more, visit Dr. Holstege’s lab page, here, and her social media page, here. More information about the 100-Plus Study can be found here.