Nikae te Moller

Dr. Nikae te Moller is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University. Her research focuses on equine musculoskeletal health, combining gait analysis (kinematics/kinetics), osteoarthritis progression in equine joints, and longitudinal data analysis. She employs advanced techniques like facial electromyography (fEMG) and R programming for statistical analysis, with applications in science communication (e.g., public dance demonstrations of joint dynamics).

• Expertise in equine cartilage injury models (blunt vs. sharp lesions)
• Developed equine carpal groove model for osteoarthritis studies
• Innovator in optical coherence tomography (OCT) and near-infrared spectroscopy for cartilage assessment

Recent publications (2024-2023) emphasize quantitative MRI, micro-CT, and infrared spectroscopy for early detection of cartilage defects. Her work bridges regenerative medicine and equine locomotion, with collaborations across biomedical engineering (e.g., 3D T1 relaxation time studies) and veterinary science. Awards include the Public Engagement Seed Fund. Current projects involve objective pain quantification and biomechanical response to treadmill exercise in horses.