With a €20 million grant from the Dutch Research Council (NWO), the BioMotive consortium, based at UMC Utrecht and the University of Twente (TechMed Centre), is developing a new generation of MRI scanners that will allow researchers to study the human body during natural movements, such as walking or cycling.
Many diseases are related to posture and movement, from osteoarthritis to cardiovascular diseases and postoperative recovery. Yet MRI scans are still taken while people lie flat and remain completely still. “With the BioMotive infrastructure, we’ll gain a unique view of the body in action,” says project leader Prof. Dr. Nico van den Berg (UMC Utrecht). “We’ll be able to see how muscles, organs, and metabolism work together during movement, and better understand how the body functions in health and disease.”
TWO UNIQUE MRI FACILITIES
Within BioMotive, two research facilities are being built:
- An open 0.5 Tesla MRI scanner for upright imaging at the University of Twente (to be completed in 2026);
- A unique 3 Tesla ‘walk-in’ MRI scanner enabling measurements during movement at UMC Utrecht (to be completed in 2030).
Both scanners will be equipped with special research setups, such as exercise bikes and heart monitors, to enable and measure physical exertion. These facilities will enable MRI studies of the body in natural postures, allowing researchers to more precisely measure how the heart, muscles, and organs work together. The facilities are designed specifically for scientific research, not for direct patient care.
NEW INSIGHTS INTO THE HEART, MUSCLES, AND METABOLISM
The BioMotive project focuses on three major research domains:
- Cardiovascular diseases, such as heart failure and hereditary conditions.
- The musculoskeletal system, from muscular disorders and sports injuries to osteoarthritis.
- Muscle metabolism and digestion, in metabolic or neuromuscular disorders.
By combining advanced MRI technology with physical modelling, motion analysis, and intelligent, innovative data analysis, researchers will, for the first time, be able to map internal forces, blood flow, and muscle tension simultaneously. “Thanks to BioMotive, we can follow the body live during realistic movements; that’s a real breakthrough in biomechanical research,” says Dr. Martijn Froeling (UMC Utrecht).
BOUNDLESS COLLABORATION
The BioMotive consortium brings together leading Dutch knowledge institutions, including the University of Twente, UMC Utrecht, Radboudumc, Eindhoven University of Technology, Amsterdam UMC, Maastricht UMC+, UMC Groningen, Wageningen University & Research, Leiden UMC, Erasmus MC, and VU Amsterdam, along with partners such as Klimmendaal, Kortradio, and the Central Military Hospital.
