ISEK Fellowship

Harvard University

Helmholtz Institute

Catherine Disselhorst-Klug, with a degree in Physics (1990) and a Ph.D. in Natural Science (1996), obtained her postdoctoral lecture qualification in Medical Engineering from RWTH Aachen University in 2006. She served as a research associate at the Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering until 2001, later heading the Biophysical Measurement Techniques Research Group until 2009. In 2009, she became a Full Professor and Head of the Department of Rehabilitation- & Prevention Engineering at RWTH Aachen University.  Her research focuses on movement biomechanics and neuromuscular coordination, integrating engineering science with physiological expertise to develop innovative devices for prevention and rehabilitation. She has over 60 publications in peer-reviewed journals and 18 contributions to specialized books. Disselhorst-Klug has held leadership roles, including president of the International Society of Electrophysiology and Kinesiology (ISEK), and is currently a member of the executive councils of the International Society of Biomechanics (ISB).

University of Twente

Prof. Dr. Ir. Hermie J. Hermens, after studying biomedical engineering at the University of Twente, became head of the research group at Roessingh, Centre for Rehabilitation. He co-founded and served as the first director of RRD in 1990. His PhD focused on surface EMG, leading to his professorship in Neuromuscular Control in 2001 and later in Telemedicine in 2010. Currently supervising 15 PhD students, he has overseen the completion of 26 PhD students. With over 280 peer-reviewed publications and 13,000 citations (H-index 55), he has coordinated three successful European projects and leads the COUCH project, ranked 4th of 188 proposals. He has contributed to over 25 other European projects in surface EMG, functional electrical stimulation, and ICT. A fellow and past president of the Int. Society of Electrophysiology and Kinesiology (ISEK), he serves as editor-in-chief of JBMR and coordinates the Seniam group, which produced the first surface EMG recommendations. His current research focuses on integrating Biomedical Engineering with ICT to develop Telemedicine applications for chronic disorders.

Politecnico di Torino

Roberto Merletti began his journey in Electronics Engineering at Politecnico di Torino, Italy, before pursuing Biomedical Applications of Electronics in the USA. Under Prof. Herman Weed’s mentorship at The Ohio State University, he delved into pioneering research. A visit to the Cleveland Functional Electrical Stimulation Center sparked his interest in Rehabilitation Engineering.

Returning to Italy, Merletti awaited academic opportunities, eventually becoming Assistant Professor at Politecnico di Torino. Despite challenges in fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, he advanced to Associate Professor and pursued a sabbatical at Boston University’s Neuromuscular Research Center under Prof. Carlo De Luca’s guidance, focusing on surface electromyography (sEMG).

In 1996, Merletti established the Laboratory for Engineering of the Neuromuscular System (LISiN) at Politecnico di Torino, driving EU-funded projects and international collaboration. His mentorship of PhD students and prolific research output solidified LISiN’s reputation.

Throughout his career, Merletti’s work has been shaped by mentors and interactions with students. Post-retirement, he remains dedicated to addressing barriers to the clinical application of sEMG through educational initiatives and research endeavors, continuing his lifelong commitment to advancing neuromuscular engineering.

Kyoto University

Toshio Moritani began his academic journey at Showa University Hospital and Saitama Children’s Medical Center before transitioning to the USA, where he held positions at Strong Memorial Hospital, University of Rochester, and later at the University of Iowa. In 2017, he relocated to Ann Arbor, Michigan, joining the University of Michigan as Professor of Radiology and Director of Clinical Neuroradiology Research. Throughout his esteemed career, Dr. Moritani authored numerous publications, including 165 original articles, 49 book chapters, and coauthored 422 conference abstracts. His expertise in Diffusion-Weighted MR Imaging of the Brain, expanded to include the spine and head and neck, solidified his reputation as a global authority in the field. Dr. Moritani’s contributions extend beyond research; he served as a peer reviewer for radiology journals worldwide, participated in the ACR Committee on Appropriateness Criteria, and acted as Associate Editor for the brain section in neurographics. His excellence in conference presentations earned him over 100 honors and awards from esteemed organizations such as the American Society of Neuroradiology and the Radiological Society of North America.

University of New Brunswick

Philip A. Parker (S’70–M’73–SM’86–LSM’08) received the B.Sc. degree in electrical engineering and the Ph.D. degree from the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, Canada, in 1964 and 1975, respectively, and the M.Sc. degree from the University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, U.K., in 1966. In 1966, he joined the National Research Council of Canada as a Communications Officer. He is currently a Policy Board Member of the Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of New Brunswick (UNB), Fredericton, NB, Canada, which he joined in 1967 as a Research Associate. In 1976, he was appointed to the Department of Electrical Engineering, UNB, where he is currently a Professor Emeritus. His current research interests include the area of biological signal processing with applications to powered limb prosthesis control, evoked response detection/estimation.

Harvard University

Paolo Bonato, Ph.D., directs the Motion Analysis Laboratory at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and holds positions at Harvard Medical School, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, and Boston University College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences. He has also been affiliated with MIT, University of Ireland Galway, and University of Melbourne. His research focuses on rehabilitation technologies, particularly wearable technology and robotics. Bonato has held editorial roles in prominent journals and served in leadership positions for IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society and the International Society of Electrophysiology and Kinesiology. He earned an M.S. in electrical engineering from Politecnico di Torino and a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Università di Roma “La Sapienza”.

Boston University

Carlo J. DeLuca is renowned for integrating engineering into neurophysiology and merging motor control with biomechanics. His research has led to breakthroughs in neuromuscular control, signal processing, and electromyographic sensor technology. With 122 peer-reviewed articles, 21 book chapters, and 26 patents, his work has been highly influential, cited over 21,000 times. His seminal work “Muscles Alive” is considered a cornerstone in electromyography. DeLuca played a pivotal role in shaping ISEK, serving as its past president twice and organizing the successful ISEK 1979 Congress. He established the Journal of Electromyography & Kinesiology during his presidency and served as its Editor-in-Chief. Passionate about mentoring, he trained over forty M.S. and Ph.D. students, many of whom are now prominent researchers and engineers in the field.

Georg-August University

Professor Farina has held prestigious positions at Aalborg University in Denmark and the University Medical Center Göttingen in Germany before joining Imperial College London. His research focuses on biomedical signal processing, neurorehabilitation technology, and neural control of movement. With a prolific publication record, he has authored/co-authored around 400 papers in peer-reviewed journals and over 500 conference abstracts and papers. He served as President of the International Society of Electrophysiology and Kinesiology from 2012 to 2014 and is currently the Editor-in-Chief of its official journal, the Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology. Additionally, he serves as an Editor for IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering and the Journal of Physiology, having held editorial roles in various other journals previously.

University of Colorado Boulder

Dr. Moshe Solomonow, Emeritus Professor at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, is a renowned figure in musculoskeletal research. With extensive experience spanning Louisiana State University and California universities, he holds expertise in bioengineering and neuroscience. His leadership has spearheaded innovative projects in upper limb prosthetics, walking orthoses, and smart braces for various conditions. Solomonow is the Founding Editor of The Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology and has served on editorial boards of multiple bioengineering and medical journals. He’s consulted for prestigious organizations globally and has been involved in several international societies. His prolific research output includes over 150 journal papers covering diverse musculoskeletal topics. He’s supervised numerous students and residents and organized prominent workshops and conferences worldwide. Solomonow has received notable awards recognizing his contributions to bioengineering research, including the Crump Award and the Volvo Award for Low Back Pain Research.

University of Birmingham

Deborah Falla earned her PhD in Physiotherapy from The University of Queensland, Australia, in 2003. She received fellowships from the International Association for the Study of Pain and the NHMRC of Australia for postdoctoral research at Aalborg University, Denmark. She held academic positions at Aalborg University, Denmark, and University Hospital Göttingen, Germany, before becoming Chair in Rehabilitation Science and Physiotherapy at the University of Birmingham, UK, in 2016. Falla directs the Centre of Precision Rehabilitation for Spinal Pain and is a Senior PI for the NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre. Her research focuses on human movement control, particularly in response to injury, fatigue, training, and pain, with a focus on optimizing musculoskeletal condition management, especially spinal pain. She has published extensively, received numerous awards, and authored key textbooks in the field. Falla serves as Associate Editor for Musculoskeletal Science & Practice and the Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, and she was President of the International Society of Electrophysiology and Kinesiology from 2016 to 2018.

The University of Queensland

Paul W. Hodges is a distinguished researcher and professor at The University of Queensland, specializing in movement control, pain, and rehabilitation. He holds multiple degrees and is a Senior Principal Research Fellow of the NHMRC. As lead investigator on NHMRC grants, he collaborates with colleagues from top Australian universities. Hodges is renowned for his interdisciplinary research approach, spanning molecular biology to human function, which has revolutionized understanding of pain-related movement changes. His work extends to diverse conditions, yielding effective treatments adopted globally. Hodges has received numerous prestigious awards, including the ISSLS Prize for spine research multiple times and international awards for basic science innovation. Nationally, he has been honored with NHMRC Achievement and community-based leadership awards. Hodges is a former president of the International Society for Electrophysiology and Kinesiology and has chaired major international conferences, fostering collaboration across disciplines to address pain research.