About

Dr. Elise Dopper is a neurologist and postdoctoral researcher at the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. She obtained her PhD in 2015 for her research on familial FTLD with a main focus on imaging and neuropsychological assessment in the presymptomatic disease stage. After her PhD she finished medical school and started her neurology residency.

She currently combines her clinical work as a neurologist specialised in cognitive and movement disorders with research. She received a grant from Alzheimer Nederland for her study on neuroinflammation in both symptomatic and presymptomatic FTLD, using a combination of 7T MRI with clinical, blood and CSF biomarkers. Furthermore, she set up a database study for the atypical parkinsonian syndromes PSP, CBS and MSA.

What is your area of research as it relates to FTD?

My research mainly focusses on clinical, imaging and liquid biomarkers in FTLD. I am currently performing a 7T MRI study in FTLD-tau vs FTLD-TDP in both patients (genetic and sporadic) and presymptomatic mutation carriers

What inspired you to do FTD research?

During medical school I did a research intership on FTD. In this project I have met many patients and families with FTD. I really hit me how devastating this disorder is for patients and their relatives, therefore I would love to contribute in research aiming to improve diagnostics and hopefully in the end of course treatment for this disease. The enormous willingness of families with FTD to participate in research further underlines the need for our efforts.