Nico Verdonschot PhD

Nico Verdonschot full professor

Professor Nico Verdonschot's research interests are focused on orthopaedic-biomechanical problems of the lower extremity. Utilizing computer modeling techniques in combination with cadaveric testing, animal research and clinical studies his group tries to optimize diagnostic and evaluation tools for orthopaedic patients. Verdonschot works with researchers and orthopaedic companies to optimize the functionality and longevity of orthopedic implants such as knee and hip prostheses. Furthermore, he focuses on the calculation of bone strength for patients that have osteoporosis or metastatic lesions.

Verdonschot is running a large European project (TLEMsafe) to predict functional outcome of patients requiring severely musculoskeletal surgery (due to a tumor or revision surgery).

In December 2012 Verdonschot was awarded a 'European Research Council - Advanced Grant' for follow up research. His group is currently expanding their modeling efforts to generate patient specific models and feed these models with innovative dynamic imaging techniques (ERC BioMechTools).

Verdonschot got his mechanical engineering degree in 1989 at the University of Twente. Thereafter he moved to the Radboud University Medical Centre where he started his PhD studies at the Orthopaedic Research laboratory led by Prof. Rik Huiskes. He got his PhD degree in 1995 and is now leading the Biomechanics group. He also has a position at the University of Twente where he is doing research mostly focusing on musculoskeletal modeling.

Personal prizes & awards national & international

• 2014: Winners of the '5th Grand Challenge Competition to Predict In Vivo Knee Loads', awarded during the 7th World Congress of Biomechanics, July 6-11, 2014, Boston, Massachusetts USA. Presentation Abstract: Patient-specific Musculoskeletal Modelling of Total Knee Arthroplasty using Force-dependent Kinematics. Author(s): M. S. Andersen 1), M. A. Marra 2), V. Vanheule 3), R. Fluit 4), N. Verdonschot 2), J. Rasmussen 1). 1) Aalborg University, Aalborg East, DENMARK; 2) Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, NETHERLANDS; 3) Materialise N.V., Leuven, BELGIUM; 4) University of Twente, Enschede, NETHERLANDS
• 2012 December: 'European Research Council - Advanced Grant' (2.45 million euro) (ERC-2012-ADG LS7) entiteld 'Biomechanical Diagnostic, Pre-Planning and Outcome Tools to improve Musculoskeletal Surgery', acronym 'BioMechTools'. See ERC BioMechTools