Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks (MSCA-DN)

Translational Research Network in Motor Disorder Rehabilitation: Advancing understanding of variability in motor control and learning, to enhance clinical practice (TReND)

Project Summary

The theoretical understanding of human motor control and learning has a strong impact on the diagnosis and treatment of motor disorders, and vice versa. Recent progress has been made in the understanding of motor control and learning, particularly with respect to understanding the functional role of neuro-behavioural variability that is inherent to sensorimotor control. However, this progress has not yet been transferred appropriately into clinical therapy approaches. The goal of TReND is thus, to create a translational research network in motor disorder rehabilitation. The network will be highly interdisciplinary with doctoral and senior researchers from fundamental research areas (movement science, neuroscience, computer science), clinical practitioners (physical and occupational therapy, rehabilitation science, etc.) and partners from related industries. The overall aim is, to systematically translate recent theoretical and methodological advances in motor control and learning research into clinical practice to enhance clinical diagnosis and motor rehabilitation. More specific, we will investigate the functional role of variability in the sensorimotor coordination dynamics on behavioural and neurophysiological level in motor and mental disorders such as Stroke, Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease. This will be addressed in three research objectives: 1. To investigate how different disorders affect the sensorimotor systems’ capability to exploit functional variability for stable and adaptive motor control; 2. To investigate how novel therapy concepts can enhance the capacity to exploit functional variability and treat motor disorders across different patient populations; and 3. To develop novel approaches to translate the knowledge gain from our fundamental research into clinical practice.

Project start:
01.03.2024

Research Team Münster:
Prof. Dr. Claudia Voelcker-Rehage
Dr. Julian Rudisch

Sponsor:
Horizon Europe (HORIZON)
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Doctoral Networks (MSCA-DN)

Project partners (Benificiaries):

University of Münster, Germany / Institute of Sport and Exercise / Department of Neuromotor Behavior and Exercise
Prof. Dr. Claudia Voelcker-Rehage
Dr. Julian Rudisch

Aix-Marseille University, France / Institute of Movement Science
Prof. Dr. Rita Sleimen-Malkoun
Prof. Dr. Jean-Jacques Temprado

Jönköping University, Sweden / Department of Rehabilitation
Prof. Dr. Nerrolyn Ramstrand

KU Leuven, Belgium / Research Group for Neurorehabilitation & Cerebral Palsy Reference Center
Prof. Dr. Hilde Feys

Radboud University, The Netherlands /Faculty of Health and Life Sciences / Behavioural Science Institute
Prof. Dr. Bert Steenbergen
Prof. Dr. Richard van Wezel

Tel Aviv University, Israel /Physical Therapy
Prof. Dr. Jason Friedmann

Associate Partners with own funding for doctoral candidates

University of Bern, Switzerland / Department of Movement and Exercise Science
Prof. Dr. Ernst-Joachim Hossner
Funding by Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation

King’s College London, United Kingdom / Department of Population Health Sciences
Dr. Marco Davare
Dr. Crina Grosan
Funding by UK Research and Innovation

Associate Partners

Hasselt University, Belgium / Rehabilitation Research Center
Prof. Dr. Katrijn Klingels

Sint Maartenskliniek, The Netherlands / Department of Rehabilitation Research
Dr. Noel Keijsers
Dr. Pauline Aarts (Training/Research Site)

Medisch Spectrum Twente, The Netherlands / Neurology Department
Dr. Marleen Tjepkema-Cloostermans (Training/Research Site)

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom / St. Thomas Hospital
Dr. Doreen Fialho

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom / Evelina London Children's Hospital
Katy Strudwick
Dr. Anne Gordon

The Shadow Robot Company Limited, United Kingdom
Rich Walker

prophysics AG, Switzerland
Florian Ulrich

LIME medical GmbH, Germany
Pascal Lindemann

Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom / Children’s Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy
Dr. Betty Hutchon

Stade Marseillais Université Club, France / Sports and Health division
Jean-Louis Moro

Loewenstein Rehabilitation Medical Center, Israel / Department of Neurologic Rehabilitation
Dr. Nachum Soroker

Links:
https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101119878

12 Ph.D. projects will be available in the TReND Network:

The relationship between cognition and motor variability in ageing and Parkinson Disease (PD) patients (supervised by Prof. Dr. Claudia Voelcker-Rehage and Dr. Julian Rudisch at University of Münster)
https://uni.ms/y1gfk

Can superimposed sensorimotor variability in practice enhance motor (observational) learning in older adults? (supervised by Prof. Dr. Claudia Voelcker-Rehage and Dr. Julian Rudisch at University of Münster)
https://uni.ms/y1gfk

Can the structure of behavioural and physiological variability predict the training outcomes? – multidimensional assessment and intervention in older adults (supervised by Prof. Dr. Rita Sleimen-Malkoun and Prof. Dr. Jean-Jacques Temprado at Aix-Marseille University)

Virtual motor training of individuals with upper extremity amputations – Relative effects on movement variability and cognitive load (supervised by Prof Dr. Nerrolyn Ramstrand and Prof. Dr. Dido Green at Jönköping University)
https://ju.varbi.com/en/what:job/jobID:719814/

Neurological factors challenging bimanual motor control and learning in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (uCP) (supervised by Prof. Dr. Hilde Feys and Dr. Lisa Mailleux at KU Leuven)
https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/jobs/60319615?lang=en

Translation of basic research to practical fields – integrating the perspective of clinicians and patients in the process using the example of childhood motor disorders (supervised by Prof. Dr. Bert Steenbergen at Radboud University)

Effects of increasing variability during training on motor learning: Developing models and concepts for motor rehabilitation (task-specific practice) (supervised by Prof. Dr. Jason Friedman at Tel-Aviv University)
https://www.movementsciences.sites.tau.ac.il/open-positions

Can the structure of behavioural and physiological variability predict physical training outcomes? – multidimensional assessment and intervention in stroke patients (supervised by Prof. Dr. Rita Sleimen-Malkoun and Prof. Dr. Jean-Jacques Temprado at Aix-Marseille University)

Manipulating Sensorimotor variability in typical and atypical systems to understand motor variability and neural representation (supervised by Dr. Marco Davare and Dr. Crina Grosan at King’s College London)

Overcoming atypical variability: effects of manipulation of sensorimotor variability to enhance motor learning in children and adults with motor disorders (supervised by Dr. Marco Davare and Dr. Crina Grosan at King’s College London)

State estimation and dealing with noise and uncertainty (supervised by Prof. Dr. Ernst-Joachim Hossner at University of Bern)
https://ohws.prospective.ch/public/v1/jobs/2a452aae-39f9-4fdd-915e-6b20ec1269de

Links to the advertisements of these positions will follow when they are published.