Julia van Beesel

Julia van Beesel is a Research Fellow at the Development and Regeneration department of KU Leuven's Kulak Kortrijk Campus. She holds a PhD in Evolutionary Biology from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and conducted postdoctoral work at TU Delft.

• Education: PhD in Evolutionary Biology (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)
• Current Position: Research Fellow at KU Leuven (supported by Walter Benjamin grant)

Her research focuses on the biomechanical analysis of primate shoulders, particularly comparing gorillas and humans to understand evolutionary adaptations. She specializes in musculoskeletal modeling and has developed innovative workflows for creating subject-specific biomechanical models.

Recent studies (2021-2025) highlight her expertise in 3D reconstruction of shoulder muscles, joint mobility analysis, and comparative morphology across hominoids. Her work combines computational modeling with empirical kinematic observations.

Scientific Awards

• Walter Benjamin grant

Her academic contributions include publications in high-impact journals like Journal of Anatomy, American Journal of Biological Anthropology, and Scientific Reports. She collaborates with institutions including TU Delft and the Max Planck Institute.