معرفی
Maria H Nilsson is an Associate Professor in Physiotherapy and Senior Lecturer in Health Sciences-Rehabilitation in neurodegenerative diseases at Lund University. She holds a combined position with 30% of her time at the Memory Clinic, Department of Neurology, Rehabilitation Medicine, Memory Disorders and Geriatrics at Skane University Hospital in Malmö. She is actively involved in the Active and Healthy Ageing Research Group, Clinical Memory Research, and serves as Assistant Coordinator for MultiPark, a multidisciplinary research initiative focused on Parkinson's disease.
Dr. Nilsson's research focuses on activity and participation in people aging with neurodegenerative disorders, including major and minor neurocognitive disorders as well as Parkinson's disease. Specifically, she investigates gait, balance (including falls and fear of falling), mobility, physical activities, and cognitive motor interference (dual tasking). Her work spans several key areas including neurodegenerative disease rehabilitation, aging research, and housing accessibility for older adults. She serves as Principal Investigator for the Motor-ACT longitudinal project examining motor aspects and activities in relation to cognitive decline and brain pathologies.
Leadership and Professional Activities
- Vice Coordinator of MultiPark at Lund University (2024-ongoing)
- Coordinator of EDAP (Early diagnostics and prognostics of Alzheimer's disease) at Lund University (2022-ongoing)
- Board member of the Department of Health Sciences, Lund University (2022-ongoing)
- Board member of the Swedish Movement Disorders organization for health sciences (VfMD, 2009-ongoing)
- Steering group member of the Swedish Parkinson Academy (2015-ongoing)
- Steering group member of the Huntington centre (2017-ongoing)
- Former head of Unit MemoryHealth (Memory Clinic) at Skane University Hospital (part time, 2017-2022)
Awards and Recognition
- Elsa and Inge Anderssons award for best PhD thesis within Parkinson's disease field (2010)
- Medal of honour by Swedish Parkinson Disease Association (2010)
Teaching and Academic Contributions
Dr. Nilsson has extensive teaching experience at all academic levels (BSc, MSc, PhD), serving as course leader, examiner, and opponent. She has experience with various teaching methods including cathedral lectures, study groups, PBL tutoring, and practical training. Her expertise extends to different examination formats such as written exams, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE), and Triple Jump Examinations. She has also contributed to evidence-based clinical guidelines at European and national levels, including the European Physiotherapy Guideline for Parkinson's disease and national physiotherapy guidelines for people with Parkinson's disease.
