Movement and Imaging for Muscles and Tendons (MOVIE)

The MOVIE Lab studies muscle–tendon structure and function during movement and force generation in both healthy and neurologically impaired individuals. We integrate advanced imaging technologies, biomechanical analysis, and neuromuscular measurements to quantify active and passive force contributions across functional tasks. We investigate the human neuromuscular system across scales, from tissue microstructure to whole-body mechanics. Our goal is to bridge imaging science, biomechanics, and clinical decision-making to improve the understanding and treatment of neuromuscular disease.

Basic

Core fields of research

Physical activity, health and wellbeing

Faculty

Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences

Research group description

Some of the activities of the research group include MRI, ultrasound muscle–tendon imaging during walking, and ultrasound combined with torque assessments

Our MOVIE Lab consists of an initial core team of one postdoctoral researcher and two PhD students, with additional MSc students and clinical collaborators contributing to specific projects. We work in close collaboration with the New Children’s Hospital in Helsinki and maintain active international partnerships with KU Leuven (Prof. Kaat Desloovere) and KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Prof. Lanie Gutierrez and Prof. Ruoli Wang).

Our research focuses on the fundamental mechanisms of muscle–tendon structure and function during human movement, particularly the interplay between active and passive force generation in neuromuscular systems. We investigate intramuscular force transmission, tissue remodeling, and multi-scale regulation of muscle mechanics from sarcomere behavior to whole-body locomotion. Cerebral palsy (CP) is our primary clinical target, while the developed methodologies are designed to be transferable to other neurological and musculoskeletal populations.

Our main research methods integrate advanced imaging, biomechanical analysis, neuromuscular measurements, and computational modeling:

Structural and quantitative MRI
3D ultrasonography and imaging–tracking fusion approaches
Microendoscopy (in collaboration with international partners)
High-density electromyography (HD-EMG)
Peripheral electrical stimulation and dynamometry
3D motion capture and gait analysis
Musculoskeletal modeling and phenomenological muscle–tendon modeling
Multi-objective optimization approaches for personalized force analysis

We actively utilize the Motion Analysis Laboratory at the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Sciences, MRI facilities at Hospital Nova, and clinical collaborations with the New Children’s Hospital in Helsinki. These infrastructures enable us to combine experimental biomechanics, imaging, and clinical expertise to advance translational neuromechanics research.

Current

Projects