Lisette Siebert-ten Bolscher

Stress, particularly when it is cumulative or experienced during sensitive developmental periods such as early life, can substantially increase vulnerability to depression. But which molecular and cellular processes contribute to the development of depression after stress exposure? And can we use that knowledge to find new treatments for depression?

My research tries to answer exactly those questions, by investigating how early-life stress affects the endocannabinoid and neuroimmune systems. Using novel chemical tools, (developed by researchers from work package 4) I visualize and characterize the role of the endocannabinoid system in neurons and microglia in an in vivo model of early-life stress-induced depression. In particular, I study the enzymes that synthesize and degrade the endocannabinoid 2-AG. The goal is to ultimately target the endocannabinoid system in/or the neuroimmune system as a novel intervention for depression.

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