Thomas Korff

Name:	Dr Thomas Korff
Job Title:	Senior Lecturer (Biomechanics); Senior Tutor
Email:	thomas.korff@brunel.ac.uk
Office:	Heinz Wolff Building HW200
Phone:	01895 266477

Biography

2006: PGCert for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: Brunel University, UK.
2005: PhD: The University of Texas at Austin, USA.
2000: MSc: Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Germany.

Teaching

SP1030 Technique Analysis and Application in Sport and Physical Education
SP1032 Foundations of Sport and Exercise Performance
SP2020 Biomechanical Analysis of Sport
SP5513 Laboratory Techniques in Physiology and Biomechanics

Research Interests

Thomas' research interest is applying biomechanical techniques to answer questions in motor development. During his doctorate program, he studied age-related changes in muscular force application in order to understand the factors that cause changes in children's motor behaviour. The focus of Thomas' work has been the development of biomechanical models and simulations to estimate muscular forces and torques. His research is aimed at applying these techniques in practical settings and at creating effective interventions resulting in an improvement of motor performance in special populations

Grants

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, 2007-2010, (£183,000 PI: T. Korff)

Brunel Research Initiative and Enterprise Fund, 2005-2006, (£13,700 - PI: T. Korff)

Undergraduate Research Bursary, 2005, The Nuffield Foundation (£1,450 - PI: T. Korff)

Awards

2007: Lolas E. Halverson Young Investigator Award in Motor Development, the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD).

2005: Outstanding Student Paper Award in Motor Development, North American Society for Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (NASPSPA).

2004: A. D. Hutchison Student Endowment Fellowship, The University of Texas at Austin.

2002: University Tuition Fellowship, 2002-2003, The University of Texas at Austin.

2001: Dr Mary Buice Alderson Graduate Scholarship for Teaching Excellence, The University of Texas at Austin.

Publications

Korff, T., Horne, S., Cullen, S. J., & Blazevich A. J. (2009). Development of lower limb stiffness and its contribution to maximum vertical jumping power during adolescence. Journal of Experimental Biology, 212, 3737-3742.

Denis, R., & Korff, T. (2009). Joint dependence of isometric strength and isokinetic power in children and adults. Isokinetics and Exercise Science, 17, 227-232.

Korff, T., Hunter, E. L., & Martin, J. C. (2009). Muscular and non-muscular contributions to maximum power cycling in children and adults: Implications for developmental motor control. Journal of Experimental Biology, 212, 599-603.

Korff, T., & Jensen, J. L. (2008). Effect of relative changes in anthropometry during childhood on muscular power production in pedaling: A biomechanical simulation. Pediatric Exercise Science, 20, 292-304.

Korff, T., Romer, L. M., Mayhew, I., & Martin, J. C. (2007). Effect of pedaling technique on mechanical effectiveness and efficiency in cyclists. Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise, 39, 991-995.

Korff, T., & Jensen, J. L. (2007). Age-related differences in adaptation during childhood: the influences of muscular power production and segmental energy flow caused by muscles. Experimental Brain Research, 177, 291-303.

Jensen, J. L., & Korff, T. (2005). Continuing the discourse on the contribution of biomechanics to understanding motor development: Response to the commentaries. Infant and Child Development, 14, 529-533.

Moore, J. B., Korff, T., & Kinzey, S. J. (2005). Acute effects of a single bout of resistance exercise on postural control in elderly persons. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 100, 725-733.

Jensen, J. L., & Korff, T. (2004). Adapting to changing task demands: variability in children's response to manipulations of resistance and cadence during pedaling. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 75, 361-369.

Brown, L. A., Jensen, J. L., Korff, T., & Woollacott, M. H. (2001). The translating platform paradigm: Perturbation displacement waveform alters the postural response. Gait & Posture, 14, 256-263.

Brown, L. A., Jensen, J. L., Korff, T., Woollacott, M. H. (2000). Die Effekte der Beschleunigung auf die neuromuskuläre Reaktion bei einer Plattentranslation als externe Störung des Gleichgewichts. In: Nicol, K., & Peikenkamp, K. (Eds): Apparative Biomechanik - Methodik und Anwendungen, Hamburg, 63-68.

Published Abstracts

Korff, T., Hunter, E. & Martin, J. C. (2008). Muscular and non-muscular contributions to maximum power cycling in children and adults: Implications for developmental motor control [Abstract]. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 30 (Suppl.), S49-S50.

Newstead, A. H., Jensen, J. L., and Korff, T. (2008). Muscular power synergies during cycling: Activity-related differences and response to intervention in sedentary and active older adults [Abstract]. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 30 (Suppl.), S33.

Korff, T., Hunter, E. & Martin, J. C. (2007). Development of maximum power production during multijoint tasks in pre-pubertal children: The influence of intermuscular coordination [Abstract]. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 29 (Suppl.), S36.

Korff, T., & Jensen, J. L. (2007). Effect of pedaling technique on mechanical effectiveness and efficiency in cyclists [Abstract]. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39 (Suppl.), S475.

Korff, T., & Jensen, J.L. (2006). Do children select their preferred pedaling speed to minimize muscular forces? [Abstract]. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 28 (Suppl.), S104.

Jensen, J.L., Newstead A. H., & Korff, T. (2006). Trends in lower extremity power across the life span [Abstract]. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 28 (Suppl.), S95

Korff, T., & Jensen, J.L. (2005). Age-related differences in adaptation: The influences of muscular power production and inter-muscular coordination [Abstract]. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 27 (Suppl.), S90.

Korff, T., & Jensen, J.L. (2005). Effect of segmental growth on the force construction of pedaling as a function of speed [Abstract]. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 37 (Suppl.), S398-S399.

Korff, T., & Jensen, J.L. (2004). Age-related differences in muscular force application: the effect of segmental growth and its dependence on the force magnitude requirement of the task [Abstract]. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 26 (Suppl.), S106-S107.

Korff, T., & Jensen, J.L. (2003). Standardisierung beim Versuchsaufbau von Experimenten der motorischen Entwicklung und Auswirkungen auf deren Interpretation: Normalisierung der Kurbellänge beim Radfahren. [Abstract]. Schriftenreihe der DVS, 138, 200.

Korff, T., Chao, P., & Jensen, J.L. (2003). Role differentiation of mono- and biarticular muscles during cycling: Are there age-related differences? [Abstract]. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 25 (Suppl.), S83.

Chao, P., Korff, T., & Jensen, J.L. (2003). Muscle co-contraction during cycling: A potential adaptation mechanism in children to enhance force production [Abstract]. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 25 (Suppl.), S108.

Liu, T., Korff, T., Chao, P., & Jensen, J.L. (2003). Bilateral asymmetry and cycling performance in children. [Abstract]. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 25 (Suppl.), S91.

Korff, T., Chao, P., & Jensen, J. L. (2003). Age-related changes in force production during cycling: Differences in muscle activation patterns [Abstract]. European Workshop on Movement Science, Book of Abstracts, 112-113.

Korff, T., & Jensen, J. L. (2003). Development of adaptation to changing speed requirements in terms of negative muscular work during bicycling [Abstract]. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 74 (Suppl.), A32-A33.

Korff, T., & Jensen, J. L. (2002). The effects of age and task demand on movement variability during cycling [Abstract]. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 24 (Suppl.), S81-S82.

Chao, P., Rabago, C., Korff, T., & Jensen, J. L. (2002). Muscle activation adaptations in children in response to changes in cycling cadence [Abstract]. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 24 (Suppl.), S42-S43.

Bohn, C., Nicol, K., Korff, T., & Shan, G.B. (2000). How to improve the individual running technique of above knee amputee sprinters - a biomechanical comparison [Abstract]. 5th Scientific Congress, Paralympics, Sydney, Abstractbook, 31.

Van Husen, M., Korff, T., Peikenkamp, K., Nicol, K. (1999). Kinematic and dynamic analysis of the landing after a volleyball spike jump [Abstract]. XVIIth ISB Congress, Abstracts, 676.