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My name is Jorik Nonnekes, I was born in Zaltbommel in 1985. Since two years, I have been working as a specialist in rehabilitation medicine at the Radboudumc. Both my clinical and scientific work focuses on gait and balance impairments in people with neurological diseases, with specific emphasis on gait impairments in Parkinson’s disease, rare and inherited movement disorders (e.g. hereditary spastic paraplegia) and stroke. My aim to improve the quality of life of people with gait impairments is the drive behind my work.
Where do you live and with whom?
I live in Nijmegen together with my girlfriend (Femke) and our three children: Fenne (4 years old), Noud (3 years old) and Nore (7 months old).
What was your previous academic training, where did you study and why did you choose that study/those studies?
I studied medicine in Nijmegen, and during my studies I got fascinated by the mechanisms underlying gait impairments in people with neurological diseases, and the way these people compensate for these impairments . As Nijmegen is one of the world leading centers in gait research, I was lucky to perform my PhD research here, and during my training as a rehabilitation specialist, I was able to initiate my own research line.
Which of your research discoveries are you most proud of?
Together with a group of international experts we have made an inventory of all the self-invented tricks that people with Parkinson’s disease apply to improve their gait pattern. These tricks range from making a heel strike at every count, to gait scissoring, and walking like a toreador. In my awarded Veni project, I investigate how we can apply these compensation strategies in a personalized manner (a one size fits all approach is not possible, as a compensation strategy can have a spectacular effect in one patient, but may have no effect or even deteriorate gait in another person with Parkinson’s disease). We also investigate the underlying mechanisms of these compensation strategies. Our preliminary results support the hypothesis that there is not one neural circuitry that controls gait, but that there are in fact several gait systems, and that effective use can be made of alternative systems when the primary motor system fails.
What is your most important scientific challenge in the coming 5 years?
One challenge is the question how to meaningfully measure gait in people with neurological disorders. We need biomarkers that resemble patient perceptions, but also performance in daily life (gait capacity that we see in daily clinical practice, does not necessary directly translate to gait performance in daily life). Such biomarkers are for example important for the development of targeted therapies in people with hereditary spastic paraplegia, but also to evaluate therapies in people with Parkinson’s disease and stroke.
What is your favorite topic: molecules - patients - population?
Definitely patients.
What should be changed / improved in the scientific community?
Ideally, there should be less bureaucracy, and a system that is based on trust.
Is there anything we can wake you up for in the middle of the night?
With three young children, I am striving to get enough sleep, so please don’t wake me up at night;).
How do you relax from the demanding job being a scientist?
I love to cycle and I play the keys in a band with four friends. Unfortunately, we are currently unable to rehearse due to the Covid-19 restrictions, but hopefully we are able to make music soon. Finally, my girlfriend and I do have a passion for travel; exploring new countries and cultures also gives me a lot of inspiration and energy.
Do you have a tip for our most junior scientists?
Try to be yourself, and be aware that there are multiple routes to reach your destination; the shortest is not always the best pathway.
