Dr. Kirsten Emmert
Kirsten Emmert is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Health Promotion and Prevention at the University of Bremen. She holds degrees in molecular medicine, neuroscience and psychology. She previously worked in Parkinson's research fostering the development of new digital biomarkers for sleep and fatigue. After seeing the tremendous impact of psychological factors on physical health in that research, she shifted her focus on the interplay of psychological, biological and social aspects of prevention.
In her main research project, she develops strategies for communicating cancer risk scores and investigates facilitators and barriers to adapting the screening strategy to the individual cancer risk score.
Main research areas:
- Communication and fairness of healthcare
- Intervention approaches for disease prevention and early detection
- Use of polygenic risk scores for risk-based cancer screening
Work Experience | |
Seit 2025 | Postdoc at the Institute of Public Health and Nursing Research, University of Bremen, Germany |
2024-2025 | Postdoc at the University Clinic for Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine, Emergency Medicine and Pain Therapy Oldenburg (AINS), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany |
2019-2024 | Postdoc and Research Manager at the Neurogeriatrics lab, UKSH, Campus Kiel, Germany |
2018-2019 | Assistant to the Scientific Director, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany |
2017-2018 | Training and Research Facilitator at Kiel University, Germany |
2016-2017 | Training Facilitator at the Cancer Research UK Oxford Centre, Onkologie, Universit?t von Oxford, UK |
Education | |
2021-2024 | Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Kiel University, Germany |
2013-2016 | PhD in Neuroscience, Lemanic Neuroscience Doctoral School (Universities of Geneva and Lausanne, ?cole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), Switzerland |
2011-2013 | Master of Science in Neuroscience, International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) / University of G?ttingen, Germany |
2008-2011 | Bachelor of Science in Molecular Medicine, University of G?ttingen, Germany |
Journal articles
Romijnders, R., Atrsaei, A., Rehman, R. Z. U., Strehlow, L., Massoud, J., Hinchliffe, C., Macrae, V., Emmert, K., Reilmann, R., Janneke Van Der Woude, C., Van Gassen, G., Baribaud, F., Ahmaniemi, T., Chatterjee, M., Vitturi, B. K., Pinaud, C., Kalifa, J., Avey, S., Ng, W.-F., … Maetzler, W. (2025). Association of real life postural transitions kinematics with fatigue in neurodegenerative and immune diseases. Npj Digital Medicine, 8(1), 12. doi.org/10.1038/s41746-024-01386-0
Maetzler, W., Geritz, J., Stagneth, L., & Emmert, K. (2024). Interpretation eines Konzepts für funktionelle Bewegungsst?rungen aus der Sicht des alten Patienten. Der Nervenarzt, 95(6), 516–524. doi.org/10.1007/s00115-024-01614-8
Maetzler, W., Correia Guedes, L., Emmert, K., Kudelka, J., Hildesheim, H. L., Paulides, E., Connolly, H., Davies, K., Dilda, V., Ahmaniemi, T., Avedano, L., Bou?a-Machado, R., Chambers, M., Chatterjee, M., Gallagher, P., Graeber, J., Maetzler, C., Kaduszkiewicz, H., Kennedy, N., … on behalf of the IDEA-FAST project consortium. (2024). Fatigue-Related Changes of Daily Function: Most Promising Measures for the Digital Age. Digital Biomarkers, 8(1), 30–39. doi.org/10.1159/000536568
Hinchliffe, C., Rehman, R. Z. U., Pinaud, C., Branco, D., Jackson, D., Ahmaniemi, T., Guerreiro, T., Chatterjee, M., Manyakov, N. V., Pandis, I., Davies, K., Macrae, V., Aufenberg, S., Paulides, E., Hildesheim, H., Kudelka, J., Emmert, K., Van Gassen, G., Rochester, L., … the IDEA-FAST Consortium. (2024). Evaluation of walking activity and gait to identify physical and mental fatigue in neurodegenerative and immune disorders: Preliminary insights from the IDEA-FAST feasibility study. Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, 21(1), 94. doi.org/10.1186/s12984-024-01390-1
Bradshaw, A., Hughes, N., Vallez-Garcia, D., Chokoshvili, D., Owens, A., Hansen, C., Emmert, K., Maetzler, W., Killin, L., Barnes, R., Brookes, A. J., Visser, P. J., Hofmann-Apitius, M., Diaz, C., & Steukers, L. (2023). Data sharing in neurodegenerative disease research: Challenges and learnings from the innovative medicines initiative public-private partnership model. Frontiers in Neurology, 14, 1187095. doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2023.1187095
Graeber, J., Warmerdam, E., Aufenberg, S., Bull, C., Davies, K., Dixon, J., Emmert, K., Judd, C., Maetzler, C., Reilmann, R., Ng, W.-F., Macrae, V., Maetzler, W., Kaduszkiewicz, H., & on behalf of the IDEA-FAST consortium. (2023). Technology acceptance of digital devices for home use: Qualitative results of a mixed methods study. DIGITAL HEALTH, 9, 20552076231181239. doi.org/10.1177/20552076231181239
Antikainen, E., Njoum, H., Kudelka, J., Branco, D., Rehman, R. Z. U., Macrae, V., Davies, K., Hildesheim, H., Emmert, K., Reilmann, R., Janneke Van Der Woude, C., Maetzler, W., Ng, W.-F., O’Donnell, P., Van Gassen, G., Baribaud, F., Pandis, I., Manyakov, N. V., Van Gils, M., … Chatterjee, M. (2022). Assessing fatigue and sleep in chronic diseases using physiological signals from wearables: A pilot study. Frontiers in Physiology, 13, 968185. doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.968185
Kudelka, J., Geritz, J., Welzel, J., Hildesheim, H., Maetzler, C., Emmert, K., Niemann, K., Hobert, M. A., Pilotto, A., Bergmann, P., & Maetzler, W. (2022). What contributes most to the SPPB and its subscores in hospitalized geriatric patients: An ICF model-based approach. BMC Geriatrics, 22(1), 668. doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-03358-z
Hansen, C., Beckbauer, M., Romijnders, R., Warmerdam, E., Welzel, J., Geritz, J., Emmert, K., & Maetzler, W. (2021). Reliability of IMU-Derived Static Balance Parameters in Neurological Diseases. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(7), 3644. doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073644
Haugg, A., Renz, F. M., Nicholson, A. A., Lor, C., G?tzendorfer, S. J., Sladky, R., Skouras, S., McDonald, A., Craddock, C., Hellrung, L., Kirschner, M., Herdener, M., Koush, Y., Papoutsi, M., Keynan, J., Hendler, T., Cohen Kadosh, K., Zich, C., Kohl, S. H., …, Emmert, K., … Steyrl, D. (2021). Predictors of real-time fMRI neurofeedback performance and improvement – A machine learning mega-analysis. NeuroImage, 237, 118207. doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118207
Schaeffer, E., Vaterrodt, T., Zaunbrecher, L., Liepelt-Scarfone, I., Emmert, K., Roeben, B., Elshehabi, M., Hansen, C., Becker, S., Nussbaum, S., Busch, J.-H., Synofzik, M., Berg, D., & Maetzler, W. (2021). Effects of Levodopa on quality of sleep and nocturnal movements in Parkinson’s Disease. Journal of Neurology, 268(7), 2506–2514. doi.org/10.1007/s00415-021-10419-7
Haugg, A., Sladky, R., Skouras, S., McDonald, A., Craddock, C., Kirschner, M., Herdener, M., Koush, Y., Papoutsi, M., Keynan, J. N., Hendler, T., Cohen Kadosh, K., Zich, C., MacInnes, J., Adcock, R. A., Dickerson, K., Chen, N., Young, K., Bodurka, J., …, Emmert, K., … Scharnowski, F. (2020). Can we predict real‐time FMRI neurofeedback learning success from pretraining brain activity? Human Brain Mapping, 41(14), 3839–3854. doi.org/10.1002/hbm.25089
Jacobs, A. H., Emmert, K., Baron, R., Bartsch, T., Bauer, J., Becker, C., Berg, D., Bergmann, P., Boetzel, K., Bollheimer, C., Deuschl, G., Djukic, M., Drey, M., Durwen, H., Ebersbach, G., Elshehabi, M., Geritz, J., Gisinger, C., Guennewig, T., … Maetzler, W. (2020). Neurogeriatrics—A vision for improved care and research for geriatric patients with predominating neurological disabilities. Zeitschrift Für Gerontologie Und Geriatrie, 53(4), 340–346. doi.org/10.1007/s00391-020-01734-1
Polhemus, A. M., Bergquist, R., Bosch De Basea, M., Brittain, G., Buttery, S. C., Chynkiamis, N., Dalla Costa, G., Delgado Ortiz, L., Demeyer, H., Emmert, K., Garcia Aymerich, J., Gassner, H., Hansen, C., Hopkinson, N., Klucken, J., Kluge, F., Koch, S., Leocani, L., Maetzler, W., … Frei, A. (2020). Walking-related digital mobility outcomes as clinical trial endpoint measures: Protocol for a scoping review. BMJ Open, 10(7), e038704. doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038704
Bergmann, P., Emmert, K., & Maetzler, W. (2019). Osteoporose beim Idiopathischem Parkinson-Syndrom: Risikopatienten erkennen, diagnostizieren und richtig behandeln. Osteologie, 28(04), 268–273. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-0999-9781
Kopel, R., Emmert, K., Scharnowski, F., Haller, S., & Van De Ville, D. (2017). Distributed Patterns of Brain Activity Underlying Real-Time fMRI Neurofeedback Training. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 64(6), 1228–1237. doi.org/10.1109/TBME.2016.2598818
Emmert, K., Breimhorst, M., Bauermann, T., Birklein, F., Rebhorn, C., Van De Ville, D., & Haller, S. (2017). Active pain coping is associated with the response in real-time fMRI neurofeedback during pain. Brain Imaging and Behavior, 11(3), 712–721. doi.org/10.1007/s11682-016-9547-0
Emmert, K., Kopel, R., Koush, Y., Maire, R., Senn, P., Van De Ville, D., & Haller, S. (2017). Continuous vs. Intermittent neurofeedback to regulate auditory cortex activity of tinnitus patients using real-time fMRI - A pilot study. NeuroImage: Clinical, 14, 97–104. doi.org/10.1016/j.nicl.2016.12.023
Emmert, K., Kopel, R., Sulzer, J., Brühl, A. B., Berman, B. D., Linden, D. E. J., Horovitz, S. G., Breimhorst, M., Caria, A., Frank, S., Johnston, S., Long, Z., Paret, C., Robineau, F., Veit, R., Bartsch, A., Beckmann, C. F., Van De Ville, D., & Haller, S. (2016). Meta-analysis of real-time fMRI neurofeedback studies using individual participant data: How is brain regulation mediated? NeuroImage, 124, 806–812. doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.09.042
Emmert, K., Z?ller, D., Preti, M. G., Van De Ville, D., Giannakopoulos, P., & Haller, S. (2016). Influence of Vascular Variant of the Posterior Cerebral Artery (PCA) on Cerebral Blood Flow, Vascular Response to CO2 and Static Functional Connectivity. PLOS ONE, 11(8), e0161121. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0161121
Cunningham, G., Zanchi, D., Emmert, K., Kopel, R., Van De Ville, D., L?dermann, A., Haller, S., & Hoffmeyer, P. (2015). Neural Correlates of Clinical Scores in Patients with Anterior Shoulder Apprehension. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 47(12), 2612–2620. doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000726
Zanchi, D., Brody, A. L., Montandon, M.-L., Kopel, R., Emmert, K., Preti, M. G., Van De Ville, D., & Haller, S. (2015). Cigarette smoking leads to persistent and dose-dependent alterations of brain activity and connectivity in anterior insula and anterior cingulate: Brain networks in ex-smokers. Addiction Biology, 20(6), 1033–1041. doi.org/10.1111/adb.12292
Emmert, K., Breimhorst, M., Bauermann, T., Birklein, F., Van De Ville, D., & Haller, S. (2014). Comparison of anterior cingulate vs. Insular cortex as targets for real-time fMRI regulation during pain stimulation. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 8. doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00350
Emmert, K., Van De Ville, D., Bijlenga, P., Djema, D. A., & Haller, S. (2014). Auditory cortex activation is modulated by somatosensation in a case of tactile tinnitus. Neuroradiology, 56(6), 511–514. doi.org/10.1007/s00234-014-1360-0
Turi, Zs., Ambrus, G. G., Janacsek, K., Emmert, K., Hahn, L., Paulus, W., & Antal, A. (2013). Both the cutaneous sensation and phosphene perception are modulated in a frequency-specific manner during transcranial alternating current stimulation. Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, 31(3), 275–285. doi.org/10.3233/RNN-120297
Book chapters
Emmert, K., & Maetzler, W. (2023). Technologies to Assess Psycho-Behavioural Symptoms. In A. Pilotto & W. Maetzler (Eds.), Gerontechnology. A Clinical Perspective (pp. 99–116). Springer International Publishing. doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-32246-4_8
Conference contributions
Hinchliffe, C., Rehman, R. Z. U., Branco, D., Jackson, D., Ahmaniemi, T., Guerreiro, T., Chatterjee, M., Manyakov, N. V., Pandis, I., Davies, K., Macrae, V., Aufenberg, S., Paulides, E., Hildesheim, H., Kudelka, J., Emmert, K., Van Gassen, G., Rochester, L., Van Der Woude, C. J., … Del Din, S. (2023). Identification of Fatigue and Sleepiness in Immune and Neurodegenerative Disorders from Measures of Real-World Gait Variability. 2023 45th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine & Biology Society (EMBC), 1–4. doi.org/10.1109/EMBC40787.2023.10339956 (Conference proceedings)
Cormack, F., Ticcinelli, V., Taptiklis, N., Kudelka, J., Emmert, K., Maetzler, W., Reilmann, R., Latzman, R. D., Ng, W. F., McRae, V., Davies, K., Ahmaniemi, T., & Chatterjee, M. (2022). App-based cognitive assessment and monitoring – a feasibility study in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders. Neuroscience Applied, 1, 100826. ISCTM, Boston, USA. doi.org/10.1016/j.nsa.2022.100826 (Poster)
Maetzler, W., Yarnall, A., Neatrour, I., Nieuwboer, A., Caulfield, B., Mirelman, A., Schlenstedt, C., Hansen, C., Ga?ner, H., Jackson, M., Kluge, F., Berg, D., Hausdorff, J., Klucken, J., Granovsky, L., Emmert, K., Roubenoff, R., Becker, C., Rochester, L. (2020). Connecting digital mobility outcomes with clinical assessments in disorders such as Parkinson’s disease: the Mobilise-D study [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2020; 35 (suppl 1)
Emmert, K., Van De Ville, D., Haller, S. (2016) Optimization of MRI neurofeedback for clinical applications. Psychologie und Gehirn, Berlin, Germany (Talk)
Emmert, K., Blefari, M.L. (2016) Modulation and separation of brain activity: insights from BCI and real time fMRI. Center for Neuroprosthetics (EPFL) retreat, Chamonix, France (Talk)
Emmert, K., Breimhorst, M., Bauermann, T., Birklein, F., Kopel, R., Van De Ville, D., Haller, S. (2016) Influence of fetal-type posterior cerebral artery on cerebral blood flow, vascular response to CO2 & static functional connectivity. ABIM, Champéry, Switzerland (Poster)
Emmert, K., Breimhors,t M., Bauermann, T., Birklein, F., Kopel, R., Van De Ville, D., Haller, S. (2015) Active pain coping increases response in real-time fMRI neurofeedback. Real-time Functional Imaging and Neurofeedback (rtFIN) conference, Gainesville, USA (Poster)
Emmert, K., Breimhorst, M., Bauermann, T., Birklein, F., Kopel, R., Van De Ville, D., Haller, S. (2015) Comparison of anterior cingulate and insular cortex as targets for real-time fMRI regulation during pain stimulation. Real-time Functional Imaging and Neurofeedback (rtFIN) conference, Gainesville, USA (Poster)
Emmert, K., Kopel, R., Van De Ville, D., Haller, S. (2015) In search of the real-time fMRI neurofeedback regulation matrix: A meta data analysis. Real-time Functional Imaging and Neurofeedback (rtFIN) conference, Gainesville, USA (Poster)
Emmert, K., Breimhorst, M., Bauermann, T., Birklein, F., Kopel, R., Van De Ville, D., Haller, S. (2015) Active pain coping increases response in real-time fMRI neurofeedback. ABIM, Champéry, Switzerland (Poster)
Emmert, K., Breimhorst, M., Bauermann, T., Birklein, F., Kopel, R., Van De Ville, D., Haller, S. (2014) Using real-time fMRI neurofeedback to regulate anterior insula activation during pain perception. Society for Applied Neuroscience (SAN) meeting, Utrecht, The Netherlands, (Poster)
Emmert, K., Breimhorst, M., Bauermann, T., Birklein, F., Kopel, R., Van De Ville, D., Haller, S. (2014) Real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging neurofeedback of the anterior insula in the presence of painful stimulation. ABIM, Champéry, Switzerland, (Poster)