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Dr Gaspar Epro
Post-Doc Research Fellow
g.epro@lsbu.ac.uk
Applied Sciences / Human Sciences
Dr Gaspar Epro joined London South Bank University (LSBU) in June 2017 and is a post-doctoral Research Fellow at the School of Applied Sciences (Sport and Exercise Science Research Centre). After obtaining his BSc in Health Sciences (2009) and MA in Sport (2011) from the University of Tartu (Estonia), Gaspar completed his PhD in Exercise Science at the German Sport University Cologne (Germany) in 2017. Prior joining LSBU, Gaspar worked as a Research Associate and Research Assistant at the Institute of Biomechanics and Orthopaedics and at the Institute of Sport and Movement Gerontology, German Sport University Cologne (Germany).
His main research areas are the plasticity of the human musculoskeletal system in response to mechanical loading, as well as the interaction between the neural and the motor system during human locomotion and sports performance.
Apart from the academic career Gaspar is active in the biomechanical diagnostics and coaching of athletics at elite performance level and has represented the Estonian Athletic Association at various major international competitions (Olympic Games, World Championships, European Championships, World University Games) as a team coach or team leader. In the years 2012 and 2013 he was selected as the Estonian athletics coach of the year.
Gaspar's main teaching includes various courses in biomechanics and sports performance across a number of modules at all levels of the LSBU Sports Bachelor's Degrees (BSc in Sport and Exercise Science and BSc in Sports Coaching and Analysis).
Gaspar's current modules of teaching:
Biomechanics 1 (Level 5)
Perception and Action 2 (Level 5)
Research Methods (Level 5)
Current Perspectives in Biosciences (Level 6)
Clinical and Applied Biomechanics (Level 6)
Research Project (Level 6)
Previous experience as a lecturer or guest lecturer:
2011 - 2017: BSc in Sport and Performance, BA in Sport and Health in Rehabilitation and Therapy, and MA in Sport and Movement Gerontology at the German Sport University of Cologne (Germany)
2014 - 2015: BSc in Physics and Medical Technology at the Faculty of Mathematics and Technology, University of Applied Sciences Koblenz (Germany)
2010 - 2012: BSc in Health Sciences (Physical Education and Sport), University of Tartu (Estonia)
Gaspar's main research focuses on the plasticity of the human musculoskeletal system in response to long- and short-term mechanical loading and physical exercise, as well as on the interaction between the neural and the motor system during locomotion and sports performance.
His aim is to improve our knowledge in the function and adaptation of the musculoskeletal system, as well as about the prevention and rehabilitation of sport related injuries (e.g. tendon rupture) and in the locomotor stability control across the whole human life span. The broad goal is to provide information for researchers, clinicians and coaches working in the mentioned fields.
He is an author and co-author of more than 30 conference proceedings and peer reviewed publications. His research has been awarded with various prices: Runner-up "The 2017 Journal of Experimental Biology Outstanding Paper Prize", Human Kinetics Best Student Poster Presentation (BASES BIG Meeting 2017), 3rd best Oral Prize (VvBN PhD symposium Maastricht 2016), Young Investigator Award 2015 DGfB (German Society of Biomechanics).
Epro, G and Hunter, S and König, M and Schade, F and Karamanidis, K Evidence of a Uniform Muscle-Tendon Unit Adaptation in Healthy Elite Track and Field Jumpers: A Cross Sectional Investigation.. Frontiers in physiology, 10. 574. DOI 10.3389/fphys.2019.00574
König, M and Epro, G and Seeley, J and Catalá-Lehnen, P and Potthast, W and Karamanidis, K Retention of improvement in gait stability over 14 weeks due to trip-perturbation training is dependent on perturbation dose. Journal of Biomechanics, 84. 243-246. DOI 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2018.12.011
Sanno, M and Willwacher, S and Epro, G and Brüggemann, G-P Positive Work Contribution Shifts from Distal to Proximal Joints during a Prolonged Run. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, DOI 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001707
Koenig, M and Hemmers, S and Epro, G and McCrum, C and Ackermans, TMA and Hartmann, U and Karamanidis, K Matching Participants for Triceps Surae Muscle Strength and Tendon Stiffness Does Not Eliminate Age-Related Differences in Mechanical Power Output During Jumping. Frontiers in Physiology, 9. 1345. DOI 10.3389/fphys.2018.01345
Holzer, D and Epro, G and McCrum, C and Doerner, J and Luetkens, JA and Scheef, L and Kukuk, GM and Boecker, H and Mierau, A and Brüggemann, G-P and Maganaris, CN and Karamanidis, K The role of muscle strength on tendon adaptability in old age. European Journal of Applied Physiology, DOI 10.1007/s00421-018-3947-3
Epro, G and Mierau, A and McCrum, C and Leyendecker, M and Brüggemann, G-P and Karamanidis, K Retention of gait stability improvements over 1.5 years in older adults: effects of perturbation exposure and triceps surae neuromuscular exercise.. Journal of Neurophysiology, DOI 10.1152/jn.00513.2017
Epro, G and McCrum, C and Mierau, A and Leyendecker, M and Brüggemann, G-P and Karamanidis, K Effects of triceps surae muscle strength and tendon stiffness on the reactive dynamic stability and adaptability of older female adults during perturbed walking.. Journal of Applied Physiology, DOI 10.1152/japplphysiol.00545.2017
McCrum, C and Leow, P and Epro, G and König, M and Meijer, K and Karamanidis, K Alterations in Leg Extensor Muscle-Tendon Unit Biomechanical Properties With Ageing and Mechanical Loading.. Frontiers in Physiology, 9. 150. DOI 10.3389/fphys.2018.00150
McCrum, C and Oberländer, KD and Epro, G and Krauss, P and James, DC and Reeves, N and Karamanidis, K Loading rate and contraction duration effects on in vivo human Achilles tendon mechanical properties.. Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging, DOI 10.1111/cpf.12472
Epro, G and Mierau, A and Doerner, J and Luetkens, J and Scheef, L and Kukuk, G and Boecker, H and Maganaris, C and Brüggemann, G-P and Karamanidis, K Achilles tendon mechanosensitivity is preserved in old age: In vivo evidence from a 1.5 years long resistance training intervention. In: 22nd annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science, 05 July 2017 - 08 July 2017, Essen, Germany.
More publications at LSBU Research Open
Member of the German Society for Biomechanics, European College of Sport Science, International Society of Biomechanics in Sports, International Society of Biomechanics.
Level 3 IAAF Athletics Coach - Jumps
Athletics coach (Level 6) Estonian Athletic Association
School of Applied Sciences
Sport and Exercise Science - BSc (Hons)
Sports Coaching and Analysis - BSc (Hons)