What is currently going on in the TReND Doctoral Network?

Catch Prof. Dr. Claudia Voelcker-Rehage on a recent episode of "Quarks", a German TV series that brings science to the general public. The show explores the crucial role that hands play in our ability to interact with the world, from grasping and manipulating objects to communicating with others. During the first section about fine motor control, Prof. Voelcker-Rehage shares her expertise on hand function, cognition, and aging. 
This topic is also relevant for the TReND doctoral candidates at the University of Münster. DC01 Dilsah is currently conducting a study where participants are asked to finely manipulate their pincher grip force and DC02 Sofia is also conducting a study in which participants walk on a treadmill while holding a virtual cup of water - a scenario even featured in the TV show. 

👀 Watch the full episode here

We're excited to share an update from our fellow Sofía Avila Pérez, who is currently working on a systematic review to examine how dual-tasking influences gait variability in younger and older adults.  
 
We're looking forward to the completion of the systematic review and its contributions to advance the understanding of variability in motor control and learning. We will provide updates on her results and key findings, so stay tuned for more information on this exciting project. 

In March, three of our fellows had the opportunity to collaborate at King's College London (KCL). Aleksandra, from Tel Aviv University, and Louise, from KU Leuven and UHasselt, completed their secondment at Marco Davare’s lab at KCL, where Ilaria is currently completing her PhD. 

📰 A full report can be read here.
 

Our seventh fellow, Julia Jakubowska, has recently completed her secondment at Radboud University, where she was co-hosted by the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour and the Behavioural Science Institute.

📰 A full report can be read here.

The third TReND newsletter is available now, providing updates on research, events, and achievements from TReND.

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Looking forward to keeping you updated on everything around TReND!

Last week, the Department of Movement and Exercise Science at the University of Bern held its annual Winter Academy. During this week, the research group and guest researchers met in the Swiss Alps to discuss ongoing projects, gain new perspectives, and apply theoretical knowledge in practice while skiing. ⛷️
This year, the interpersonal coordination project of our fellow Constanze was in the spotlight. Discussions focused on measuring synchrony, interpreting coordination patterns, and transferring the paradigm to rehabilitation. As always, we had a fantastic week with exciting conversations and valuable inputs.

Our sixth fellow, Constanze Dammeyer, has recently completed her secondment at the Department of Neuromotor Behavior and Exercise at the University of Münster. There she had the opportunity to enhance her skills in motion capture and study design and to further deepen her knowledge in data analysis.
📰 A full report can be read here.

🎙️ Speaker: Prof. Dr. Stephan Swinnen, Emeritus Professor of Motor Neuroscience, KU Leuven, Belgium
📌 Topic: Aging and the Brain: Processes of Neural Dedifferentiation and Compensation (Abstract)
📅 Date: Thursday, 5 February 2026, 12:00–14:00 CET
🎤 Moderators: Julia Jakubowska & Victoria Trifonova (Aix-Marseille University)
🖥️ Link to join: Zoom

Our fifth fellow, Victoria Trifonova, has completed her secondment at the Stade Marseillais Université Club (S.M.U.C.), in Marseille, France. There she had the opportunity to work with the coordinator, Isabelle Petit and the adapted physical activity coach, Martin Nottin.

📰 A full report can be read here.