Functional Morphology search menu search content Dynamics of cranial rotations in woodpeckers Promoter: Sam Van Wassenbergh Subject: A recent study using high-speed video data of woodpeckers pecking showed that the head's translational deceleration during impact is high but remains below levels that…

Functional Morphology search menu search content Dynamics of cranial rotations in woodpeckers Promoter: Sam Van Wassenbergh Subject: A recent study using high-speed video data of woodpeckers pecking showed that the head's translational deceleration during impact is high but remains below levels that…

Functional Morphology search menu search content The seadragon's strike: cranial kinematics during feeding Promoter: Sam Van Wassenbergh Subject: Syngnathiform fishes, such as pipefish and seahorses and their relatives, depend on an extremely rapid dorsal rotation of their head to bring their mouth …

Maja Mielke unpaid staff Research Maja Mielke Research team Functional Morphology The Cranial Musculoskeletal Mechanics of Granivorous Songbirds. 01/11/2020 - 31/10/2024 Abstract In granivorous songbirds, feeding performance is a major driver in the evolution of beak morphology. This is illustrated …

Functional Morphology search menu search content Master's project subjects 2025-2026 Dynamics of cranial rotations in woodpeckers The seadragon's strike: cranial kinematics during feeding The spoonbill paradox: how can flat beaks catch fast fish? Do otters move like no ott(h)er? The shape of sound: …

Sam Van Wassenbergh associate research professor Sam Van Wassenbergh Introduction: jaw muscle hypertrophy in clariid catfish Within the family Clariidae or air breathing catfishes, several species have developed unusually large (hypertrophied) jaw closing muscles. The extremely hypertrophied morphs …

Sam Van Wassenbergh associate research professor Sam Van Wassenbergh Scaling effects on suction feeding performance left: Picture illustrating the large increase in size that takes place during the life of the catfish Clarias gariepinus. The arrow indicates the smallest individual used in our study.…

Sam Van Wassenbergh associate research professor Research Sam Van Wassenbergh Research team Functional Morphology Expertise Working as a researcher at the laboratory for Functional Morphology, I study how the anatomy and mechanical properties of the body of animals is adapted to fulfil its functions…

Functional Morphology search menu search content Individual project subjects 2025 - 2026 Dynamics of cranial rotations in woodpeckers What is the mustelid’s swimmers physique? Hydrodynamics of gliding in the California sea lion Cookie prreferences Strictly necessary cookies They are necessary for …

Maja Mielke unpaid staff Publications Maja Mielke Why woodpeckers don’t get concussions Source Physics today - ISSN 0031-9228-77:1 (2024) p. 54-55 Author(s) Sam Van Wassenbergh, Maja Mielke Citation link Woodpeckers minimize cranial absorption of shocks Source Current biology - ISSN 0960-9822-32:1…

Sam Van Wassenbergh associate research professor Sam Van Wassenbergh No trade-off between biting and suction performance It is generally assumed that biting performance trades off with suction performance in fish because both feeding types may place conflicting demands on the cranial musculo-skeleta…

Sam Van Wassenbergh associate research professor Sam Van Wassenbergh Publications - updated 25/10/2025 To respect copyright laws, request permission from the authors by email before downloading PDFs. 2025 Andries, T., Müller, W. & Van Wassenbergh, S. (2025). Feeding performance, kinematics and skil…

Mania De Praeter unpaid staff Publications Mania De Praeter Total cranial vault remodelling versus minimally invasive suturectomy with postoperative helmet therapy in sagittal craniosynostosis Source Journal of craniofacial surgery - ISSN 1049-2275-36:1 (2025) p. 172-176 Author(s) Leonie Witters, He…

Herman Vercruysse unpaid staff Publications Herman Vercruysse Total cranial vault remodelling versus minimally invasive suturectomy with postoperative helmet therapy in sagittal craniosynostosis Source Journal of craniofacial surgery - ISSN 1049-2275-36:1 (2025) p. 172-176 Author(s) Leonie Witters, …

Ellen Steenackers spec. staff member - expert Publications Ellen Steenackers A mosaic variant in CTNNB1/β-catenin as a novel cause for osteopathia striata with cranial sclerosis Source The journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism - ISSN 0021-972X-109:7 (2024) p. 1891-1898 Author(s) Yentl Hu…

Yentl Huybrechts unpaid staff Publications Yentl Huybrechts Loss of the ubiquitin-associated domain of sqstm1/p62 in zebrafish causes a phenotype resembling Paget’s disease of bone Source Calcified tissue international - ISSN 1432-0827-116:1 (2025) p. 1-15 Author(s) Yentl Huybrechts, Raphaël De R…

Sam Van Wassenbergh associate research professor About Sam Van Wassenbergh Sam Van Wassenbergh Contact Campus Drie Eiken Show email address Tel. +3232651988 Universiteitsplein 1 2610 Wilrijk, BEL Since October 2020 I am a research professor (lecturer) at the Laboratory for Functional Morphology of t…

Sam Van Wassenbergh associate research professor Sam Van Wassenbergh 2025: bird beaks and songs National public radio interview with Sam on bird beaks in relation to songs and feeding, including reports on research at FunMorph (link to sound recording - in Dutch). 2023: Superstar seed crackers Our r…

Functional Morphology search menu search content Research Projects Ongoing projects Functional morphology. 01/10/2025 - 30/09/2030 Abstract As a researcher at the Laboratory for Functional Morphology, I study how the anatomy and mechanical properties of animal bodies are adapted to the functions the…

Peter Aerts emeritus with assignment Research Peter Aerts Research team Functional Morphology Expertise Kinesiological analyses. Belgian Alliance for Biomechanics. 01/01/2025 - 31/12/2029 Abstract The Belgian Alliance for Biomechanics (BAB) originates from the fundamental belief that the science of …

Anthony Herrel unpaid staff Research Anthony Herrel Research team Functional Morphology Analysis of shape-function relations in complex muscular-sceletal systems using computer modeling and measurement of mechanical stress and strain distributions. 01/10/2010 - 30/09/2012 Abstract Darwin's finches (…

Sam Van Wassenbergh associate research professor Sam Van Wassenbergh Doctoral thesis work (2002-2006) As PhD-student at the University of Antwerp starting in 2002, I studied the consequences of the drastically increased size of the jaw muscles in different species of African air-breathing catfish (C…

Jamie Maclaren postdoc researcher FWO Research Jamie Maclaren Research team Functional Morphology Illustrated atlas of the tapir: a state-of-the-art comparative dissection, quantifying the functional morphology in an enigmatic ungulate. 01/04/2025 - 30/03/2026 Abstract Illustrated anatomy texts are …

Jo Leroy professor Research Jo Leroy Research team Veterinary physiology and biochemistry Expertise On our laboratory we investigate the importance of maternal metabolic health on reproduction and fertility results. More specifically, we investigate the effect at the level of the oocyte and the pre-…

Joris Dirckx emeritus with assignment Research Joris Dirckx Research team Expertise dedicated optical measuring techniques for biomechanics, such as digital image correllation, digital holography, laser doppler interferometry modeling of biomechanical systems using finite elements functioning of the…