Thomas W Janssen

In 1988, Thomas Janssen received his master’s degree in exercise physiology and functional anatomy from the Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, VU University in Amsterdam. In 1994, he received a PhD degree in Human Movement Sciences on Physical Strain and Physical Capacity of Men with Spinal Cord Injuries. Between 1994 and 1998 he was a visiting scientist at and associate director of the Institute for Rehabilitation Research and Medicine, Wright State University School of Medicine in Dayton, Ohio, USA. Upon returning to the Netherlands, he took an assistant professorship at the VU University, performing rehabilitation research and teaching classes on exercise physiology and rehabilitation. At the same time, he started working as research coordinator of the Rehabilitation Center Amsterdam (current name: Reade). His main research interest lies in the field of exercise physiology and biomechanics applied to rehabilitation and exercise. Most profound research subjects are physical capacity of wheelchair users with a spinal cord injury, electrical stimulation therapy of paralyzed muscles, muscle function, shoulder kinematics and walking ability in patients with stroke, and disability sports. Since 2008 he is professor in rehabilitation research at the VU University. He is currently chair of the Amsterdam Rehabilitation Research Center | Reade and scientifically responsible for the Center for Adapted Sports Amsterdam | Reade. He has (co-)authored over 140 publications on topics such as exercise and rehabilitation.