Staff Profile

Background

I am a research associate specialized in the application magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy techniques in human skeletal muscle. My aim is to use these techniques to better understand the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying neuromuscular disorders. In addition, I aim to validate quantitiative muscle MRI techniques as biomarkers for clinical intervention trials.

My current project focusses on the development of a new MRI technique to detect motor units (MUMRI) and its application in patients spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and amytrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Education

PhD - Radiology and Nuclear Medicine department, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

MSc - Technical Medicine, University of Twente, The Netherlands

BSc - Technical Medicine, University of Twente, The Netherlands

Quanititative MR applied in neuromuscular disorders

• I was involved in the the EU funded study OPTIMISTIC in myotonic dystrophy type 1. As part of this project, I assessed the natural history of skeletal muscle fat infiltration, muscle mass and oedema. Furthermore, I studied the effect of a behavioural intervention that stimulates daily life activity on the skeletal muscles
• I studies muscle MRI outcome measures in the pharmaceutical trial of aTYr1940 in fascioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) patients.

Quanititative MR applied for understanding muscle physiology

• Muscle energy metabolism using 31P MR spectroscopy
• Muscle perfusion measurement using BOLD and intravoxel incoherent motion imaging (IVIM).
  

• Birkbeck MG, Heskamp L, Schofield IS, Blamire AM, Whittaker RG. Non-invasive Imaging of Single Human Motor Units. Clinical Neurophysiology 2020, 131(6), 1399-1406.
• Heskamp L, van Nimwegen M, Ploegmakers MJ, Bassez G, Deux JF, Cumming SA, Monckton DG, van Engelen BGM, Heerschap A. Lower Extremity Muscle Pathology in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 Assessed by Quantitative MRI. Neurology 2020, 92(24), e2803-e2814.
• Ogier AC, Heskamp L, Michel CP, Fouré A, Bellemare M, Le Troter A, Heerschap A, Bendahan D. A novel segmentation framework dedicated to the follow‐up of fat infiltration in individual muscles of patients with neuromuscular disorders. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 2020, 83(5), 1825-1836.
• Boss A, Heskamp L, Breukels V, Bains LJ, van Uden MJ, Heerschap A. Oxidative capacity varies along the length of healthy human tibialis anterior. Journal of Physiology 2018, 596(8), 1467-1483.
• Marra MA, Heskamp L, Mul K, Lassche S, van Engelen BGM, Heerschap A, Verdonschot N. Specific muscle strength is reduced in facioscapulohumeral dystrophy: An MRI based musculoskeletal analysis. Neuromuscular Disorders 2018, 28(3), 238-245.
• Vermeij A, Kessels RPC, Heskamp L, Simons EMF, Dautzenberg PLJ, Claassen JAHR. Prefrontal activation may predict working-memory training gain in normal aging and mild cognitive impairment. Brain Imaging and Behavior 2019, 11(1), 141-154.
• Heskamp L, Lansdorp B, Hopman J, Lemson J, de Boode W. Ventilator-induced pulse pressure variation in neonates. Physiological Reports 2016, 4(4), e12716.