News
09-28-11 My paper on muscle and tendon function during deceleration is out. Please check it out under publications
08-29-11 If you missed me on Nat Geo you can watch the show here,
08-10-11 Fieldwork with makeup on: Our Nat Geo documentary on fast oceanic fish feeding airs in the UK on Aug 21st and in the US on Aug 26th.
07-21-11 My paper on evolution of chewing generates interest. Find it in publications (dedicated to W. Skiles).
06-25-10 Recording high-speed video of fast oceanic fish feeding, with a National Geographic camera crew.
05-01-09 Off to Brown University for an NIH-funded post doc w. Dr. Tom Roberts.
08-12-08 Off to Johns Hopkins University for a post doc w. Prof. Rebecca German.
01-24-06 Left Oz for an NSF-funded post doc at Hofstra University w. Dr. Chris Sanford.
12-20-05 Corrected version of my PhD thesis uploaded. Thanks to my reviewers for comments.
09-07-05 Handed in my PhD thesis..
About Nicolai [cv]
I am a functional biologist, interested in linking the form and function of organisms with their ecology. I also study the macroevolution of organism function using phylogenetic trees and the comparative method. My aim is to understand the role of structural and functional innovation. Structural innovations include novel jaw joints or long tendons associated with distal leg muscles. Functional innovations are the novel movement biomechanics, e.g. in feeding or locomotion that stem from structural innovations. I am interested in the functional biology of movement in a broad sense, and use model systems from the widest possible sample of vertebrates. Currently, my focus is on how tendon elasticity influences muscle function, and how chewing has evolved across vertebrates. For both projects I collaborate extensively, and study multiple determinant levels, including muscle activity and neural control, generation and absorption of energy by muscle-tendon units and the resulting skeletal biomechanics. I like to combine cutting-edge experimental techniques with classical dissection and visualization craftsmanship, in order to obtain and convey a robust understanding of form-function relationships.
Academic preparation
BSc and MSc in zoological morphology, Hoeg and Jespersen labs, University of Copenhagen, DK. 1997-99
DRS Doctoral Candidate in ecomorphology at The Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Biodiversity, Bellwood lab, James Cook University, Australia. 2000-05
NSF Postdoctoral Fellow in functional morphology and biomechanics, Sanford lab, Hofstra University, NY, USA. 2006-08
Postdoctoral Research Fellow in clinical and integrative physiology, German lab, Johns Hopkins Medical University, MD, USA. 2008-09
NIH Postdoctoral Fellow and now Investigator in comparative animal movement physiology, Roberts lab, Brown University, RI, USA. 2009-