PhD in Human Movement Sciences

Musculoskeletal disorders, affecting muscles, bones, joints, and associated tissues, are the leading cause of disability worldwide. Musculoskeletal models hold great potential for prevention and development of new treatments, but current models often fail to capture sex diversity. Our NWO Vidi Grant project, “Breaking BIASmechanics”, aims to change this by creating innovative technology for generating accurate musculoskeletal models outside the lab that account for sex variations. In collaboration with societal, industry, and health partners—including NOC*NSF, Vitronic, ModelHealth, and the Sport & Gyn network—these next-generation models will allow us to explore how sex diversity affects movement and musculoskeletal loading, guiding more equitable rehabilitation, prevention, and performance programs. As a PhD candidate in this project, you will investigate muscle physiology using advanced techniques such as MRI-DTI, ultrasound imaging, muscle stimulation, and electromyography (EMG); perform anatomical dissections on human specimens to collect in-vitro data for model validation; design and conduct motion capture experiments in diverse settings: laboratory environments, athletic fields, and clinical contexts; collaborate within a team to organize and manage a large-scale human participant study, including recruitment and logistical coordination; communicate effectively with study participants in Dutch; work closely with an interdisciplinary team of experts in biomechanics, anatomy, medical imaging, clinical sciences, and sports coaching.