Richard Jaspers

Richard Jaspers is a Full Professor at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam's Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Department of Physiology, with joint appointments at AMS - Rehabilitation & Development and AMS - Tissue Function & Regeneration. He holds a visiting professorship (2023-2026) at Guangzhou Medical University's Department of Prosthodontics. His research examines muscle contractility, adaptation mechanisms, and metabolic regulation across cellular, animal, and human models.

Research interests focus on:

• Mechanotransduction and extracellular matrix roles in muscle hypertrophy
• Regulation of muscle fiber size vs. mitochondrial density
• 3D ultrasound imaging of muscle geometry in neurological disorders
• Clinical applications for cerebral palsy, Duchenne dystrophy, and cachexia

Awards include:

• Proefschriftprijs Vereniging voor Bewegingswetenschappen Nederland (2003)
• Young Investigator Award (2005)

He has supervised 24 PhD theses and leads research projects on muscle rehabilitation. His team develops translational approaches bridging molecular mechanisms and clinical interventions.