Jelle van Dijk

Profile Update 28.02.2019

Current activities:

During my PhD at Utrecht University and the Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, I have so far carried out and collaborated on a number of experiments. The main focus of my project has been to develop and validate tools for laminar fMRI. I am currently in the process of analysing data on fundamental assumptions for fMRI analysis across cortical depth, and about to start an additional project on an application of laminar fMRI to increase our understanding of organisation of tuning preferences across cortical depth in the parietal cortex.

Moreover, we are collaborating with the University Medical Centre Utrecht (NL) on a project about numerosity (set size of a group of objects) preference using subdural electrodes in patients with epilepsy. This nicely complements the high spatial resolution of laminar fMRI, as these electrodes provide excellent temporal resolution and allow for the precise localisation of activation.   

Over the course of my PhD, I have completed internships at the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (DE), and at BrainInnovation (NL), both NextGenVis partners. These projects are currently ongoing.

Accomplishments:

Over the course of my PhD project, we have developed tools to perform laminar fMRI analysis. Using these tools, I have completed two projects assessing the validity of fundamental assumptions of laminar imaging across cortical depth. The manuscript for one of these projects has now been submitted for peer review. Within our group, I have been involved in a laminar fMRI study about the effects of attention across cortical depth (Klein et al., 2018).

In collaboration with NextGenVis partners, we have published a manuscript on pRF mapping in patients with visual pathways abnormalities (Ahmadi et al., 2018). I am also involved in two ongoing projects with other NextGenVis ESRs where we use the developed tools for laminar fMRI analysis to increase our understanding of visual processing in the early visual cortex

Future plans:

After my PhD contract finishes, I will continue working in Prof. Dumoulin’s lab as a postdoctoral fellow.

My NextGenVis Experience:

The NextGenVis training network has provided me with excellent networking opportunities and a great group of colleagues and friends for years to come. It facilitates collaboration between academic institutes, but also between academia and industry partners. During my secondments, I have experienced more clinically-focused, and business-oriented environments, which have broadened my view on science, and further career opportunities. This was further strengthened by the interactions with ESRs and PIs from widely different fields during the regular workshops. I also think that the workshops in business planning and grant writing are valuable additions to an ESRs skillset.

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Academic Achievements:

-BSc Liberal Arts and Sciences (cognitive neuroscience, psychology, mathematics, chemistry), University College Utrecht.

-MSc Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London.

-Research/personal assistant with prof. Haggard, University College London.

Research:

-MSc project on intersession reliability of visual field estimates, using population Receptive Field (pRF) mapping. Collaboration with Dr. Schwarzkopf and Dr. de Haas (UCL).

-Interests:

visual neuroscience, high-field (f)MRI, pRF mapping.

Current project:

I am working on developing pRF tools to quantify the laminar and columnar organisation of receptive fields and changes in the input and output-related cortical layer activity. For this we use a combination of software tools, and ultra-high field imaging.