Gert-Jan Bakker PhD

Gert-Jan Bakker postdoc

My work is concentrated on the development of imaging and image analysis approaches with applications in fundamental live-cell systems, with focus on the dynamics of cells, cell particles and molecular function. I currently focus on the development of intravital FRET-FLIM (Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer combined with Fluorescence Lifetime IMaging), an approach especially suitable to map biomolecular function at high spatio-temporal resolution. Furthermore, I'm involved in the development of endoscope objectives for multiphoton microscopy, applicable for deep intra-tumor imaging with subcellular resolution. To translate the molecular imaging closer to in vivo imaging and molecular medicine, we are setting up a joint experiment between different departments within PRIME, the Preclinical Imaging Centre of the UMC St. Radboud. Gert-Jan Bakker is a postdoc in Cell Biology, where he is part of the research group Cell Dynamics of prof. Peter Friedl. Besides his research themes, he is responsible for the multiphoton intravital imaging facility in PRIME. His biophysical background has been obtained at the University of Twente and at IBEC- Institut de Bioenginyeria de Catalunya Barcelona Scientific Park (PCB), under supervision of prof. Maria García Parajó.

With my background in biophysics and engineering, I’m able to fill the gap between biological questions and complex microscopical equipment and analysis methods. At the Microscopic Imaging Centre my main responsibility is developing, maintaining and teaching intravital nonlinear microscopy. With this technique, it is possible to image with subcellular resolution deep inside live tissues or other three-dimensional samples. Besides that, I’m involved in the development of super-resolution microsopy techniques. Furthermore, I’m your contact person in case you would like to use the light sheet microscope ‘Ultramicroscope II’, situated in the Donders Institute.