Asst-Prof. Heiko Gaßner
Uniklinikum Erlangen

Our MedTech research is focused on identifying and evaluating digital biomarkers as well as quantifying movement patterns in the hospital setting and daily life using digital technologies. We further develop digital health pathways and exercise concepts in collaboration with an interdisciplinary team, including patient groups. Our overarching objectives include early disease detection, monitoring disease progression, evaluating therapy response, and supporting clinical and exercise-based processes using validated digital technologies in flexible environments.
Affiliations
- Research Group for Movement Analysis and Digital Medicine
- Department of Molecular Neurology, Uniklinikum Erlangen
- Research Group for Digital Health Pathways, Digital Health and Analytics, Fraunhofer IIS Erlangen
No projects found.
2026
- Boschi, F., Sapienza, S., Ibrahim, A., Sonner, M., Winkler, J., Eskofier, B.,... Klucken, J. (2026). Sensor-Derived Parameters from Standardized Walking Tasks Can Support the Identification of Patients with Parkinson’s Disease at Risk of Gait Deterioration. Bioengineering, 13(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering13020130
- Brittain, G., Buckley, E., Lanfranchi, V., Long, M., Tsaktanis, T., Rothhammer, V.,... Sharrack, B. (2026). Recruitment of the multiple sclerosis cohort within the European Mobilise-D clinical validation study—lessons learnt, baseline demographics and clinical characteristics. Trials, 27(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-025-09404-6
- Erhardt, C., Spatz, I., Herrmann, H.J., Kohl, Z., Zopf, Y., Gaßner, H.,... Regensburger, M. (2026). Beyond mobility: A prospective study on diet and metabolism in hereditary spastic paraplegia. Metabolic Brain Disease, 41(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-026-01815-x
- Shanbhag, J., Wechsler, I., Fleischmann, S., Eskofier, B., Koelewijn, A., Winkler, J.,... Miehling, J. (2026). Predictive simulations of postural control: exploring the role of signal noise and neural delays in Parkinson's disease. Scientific Reports, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-45161-5
- Sidoroff, V., Moradi, H., Prigent, G., Jagusch, F., Teckenburg, I.B., Asalian, M.,... Raccagni, C. (2026). Moving beyond the hospital: in-depth characterization of daily-life mobility in patients with atypical Parkinsonian disorders. npj Parkinson’s Disease, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41531-025-01242-2
- Teckenburg, I.B., Sidoroff, V., Moradi, H., Sapienza, S., Prigent, G., Krismer, F.,... Gaßner, H. (2026). Construct validity of instrumented gait assessments in hospital and daily life mobility in patients with Parkinson's disease and atypical Parkinson's syndromes: an exploratory study. Journal of Neurology, 273(2), 122-. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-026-13652-0
- Yarnall, A.J., Alcock, L., Schlenstedt, C., Armengol, C., Becker, C., Brown, P.,... Maetzler, W. (2026). The future of clinical trials? Monitoring mobility as an outcome measure in Parkinson's disease: The mobilise-D study. Journal of Parkinson's Disease, 16(1), 110-124. https://doi.org/10.1177/1877718X251407026
2025
- Dorschky, E., Nitschke, M., Mayer, M., Weygers, I., Gaßner, H., Seel, T.,... Koelewijn, A. (2025). Comparing sparse inertial sensor setups for sagittal-plane walking and running reconstructions. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2025.1507162
- Kirk, C., Packer, E., Polhemus, A., MacLean, M.K., Bailey, H., Kluge, F.,... Yarnall, A.J. (2025). A systematic review of real-world gait-related digital mobility outcomes in Parkinson’s disease. npj Digital Medicine, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-025-01938-y
- Lumsdon, J., Wilson, C., Alcock, L., Becker, C., Benvenuti, F., Bonci, T.,... Cantu, A. (2025). Cocreating the Visualization of Digital Mobility Outcomes: Delphi-Type Process With Patients. JMIR Formative Research, 9. https://doi.org/10.2196/68782
- Mejia, A.C., Sapienza, S., Paccoud, I., Alcock, L., Brown, P., Gaßner, H.,... Klucken, J. (2025). Consensus on the clinical utility of digital mobility outcomes for personalized clinical decision support in parkinson’s disease. Neurological Research and Practice, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s42466-025-00426-8
- Raschka, T., To, J., Hähnel, T., Sapienza, S., Ibrahim, A., Glaab, E.,... Fröhlich, H. (2025). Objective monitoring of motor symptom severity and their progression in Parkinson’s disease using a digital gait device. Scientific Reports, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-09088-7
- Shanbhag, J., Fleischmann, S., Wechsler, I., Gaßner, H., Winkler, J., Eskofier, B.,... Miehling, J. (2025). Does reduced reactivity explain altered postural control in Parkinson's disease? A predictive simulation study. IEEE Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology. https://doi.org/10.1109/OJEMB.2025.3590580
- Shanbhag, J., Fleischmann, S., Wechsler, I., Winkler, J., Gaßner, H., Eskofier, B.M.,... Miehling, J. (2025). Increased Signal Noise Results in Altered Postural Control Beaviour Associated with Parkinson's Disease. Poster presentation at The XXX Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics, Stockholm, SE.
- Shanbhag, J., Wechsler, I., Wirsching, S., Fleischmann, S., Winkler, J., Gaßner, H.,... Miehling, J. (2025). The Challenge of Balancing Predictive and Personalized Simulations of Upright Standing. Paper presentation at The XXX Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics, Stockholm, SE.
- Süß, P., Regensburger, M., Gaßner, H., & Winkler, J. (2025). Lifestyle medicine in Parkinson’s disease. Journal of Neural Transmission. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-025-03059-y
2024
- Gerschel, T., Prokop, S., Schulze, L., Feige, T., Zschieschang, A., Barbe, M.T.,... Falkenburger, B. (2024). Wie die Umsetzung einer Schule für Menschen mit Parkinson-Krankheit gelingen kann – Ergebnisse eines Konsensusverfahrens und einer formativen Evaluation. Der Nervenarzt, 95(6), 539-543. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00115-024-01639-z
- Ibrahim, A., Ollenschläger, M., Klebe, S., Schüle, R., Jeschonneck, N., Kellner, M.,... Regensburger, M. (2024). Mobile digital gait analysis captures effects of botulinum toxin in hereditary spastic paraplegia. European Journal of Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1111/ene.16367
- Raccagni, C., Sidoroff, V., Paraschiv-Ionescu, A., Roth, N., Schönherr, G., Eskofier, B.,... Wenning, G. (2024). Effects of physiotherapy and home-based training in parkinsonian syndromes: protocol for a randomised controlled trial (MobilityAPP). BMJ Open, 14(5), e081317-. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-081317
- Raschka, T., Li, Z., Gaßner, H., Kohl, Z., Jukic, J., Marxreiter, F., & Fröhlich, H. (2024). Unraveling progression subtypes in people with Huntington’s disease. EPMA Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13167-024-00368-2
- Shanbhag, J., Fleischmann, S., Gaßner, H., Winkler, J., Eskofier, B., Koelewijn, A.,... Miehling, J. (2024). Modelling postural control of upright standing during translational perturbations. Poster presentation at 29th Congress of the European Society of Biomechanics, Edinburgh, Scotland.
- Shanbhag, J., Fleischmann, S., Wechsler, I., Gaßner, H., Winkler, J., Eskofier, B.,... Miehling, J. (2024). A sensorimotor enhanced neuromusculoskeletal model for simulating postural control of upright standing. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 18. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2024.1393749
- Zieger, D., Güthlein, F., Henningson, J.-O., Jakob, V., Gaßner, H., Shanbhag, J.,... Stamminger, M. (2024). 3D Body Twin: Improving Human Gait Visualizations Using Personalized Avatars. In ShapeMI 2024 (pp. 70-83). Marrakesh, MA.
2023
- Brückner, S., Weber, J., Michler, F., Shanin, N., Schober, R., Hagelauer, A.,... Vossiek, M. (2023). A Wireless Joint Communication and Localization EMG-Sensing Concept for Movement Disorder Assessment. IEEE Journal of Electromagnetics, RF and Microwaves in Medicine and Biology, 0(0), 1--10. https://doi.org/10.1109/JERM.2023.3321974
- Ibrahim, A., Adler, W., Gaßner, H., Rothhammer, V., Kluge, F., & Eskofier, B. (2023). Association between cognition and gait in multiple sclerosis: A smartphone-based longitudinal analysis. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2023.105145
- Koch, V., Jakob, V., Küderle, A., Ollenschläger, M., Kotter, K., Ibrahim, A.,... Gaßner, H. (2023). Inertial sensor acquired foot elevation parameters validated by Motion capture in a cohort of patients with Hereditary Spastic Paraplegias. Gait & Posture, 100, 79-80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2022.11.071
- Loris, E., Ollenschläger, M., Greinwalder, T., Eskofier, B., Winkler, J., Gaßner, H., & Regensburger, M. (2023). Mobile digital gait analysis objectively measures progression in hereditary spastic paraplegia. Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.1002/acn3.51725
- Lützow, L., Teckenburg, I.B., Koch, V., Marxreiter, F., Jukic, J., Stallforth, S.,... Gaßner, H. (2023). The effects of an individualized smartphone-based exercise program on self-defined motor tasks in Parkinson's disease: a long-term feasibility study. Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes, 7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41687-023-00631-6
- Ollenschläger, M., Höfner, P., Ullrich, M., Kluge, F., Greinwalder, T., Loris, E.,... Gaßner, H. (2023). Automated assessment of foot elevation in adults with hereditary spastic paraplegia using inertial measurements and machine learning. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13023-023-02854-8
- Seifer, A.-K., Popp, F., Richer, R., Gaßner, H., & Eskofier, B. (2023). Improving the Robustness of IMU-based Sit-To-Stand Detection during Simulated Real-World Activities for Different Sensor Positions. In Proceedings of the IEEE Biomedical and Health Informatics Conference. Pittsburgh, US.
- Ullrich, M., Roth, N., Küderle, A., Richer, R., Gladow, T., Gaßner, H.,... Kluge, F. (2023). Fall Risk Prediction in Parkinson's Disease Using Real-World Inertial Sensor Gait Data. IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics, 27(1), 319-328. https://doi.org/10.1109/JBHI.2022.3215921
- Zahn, A., Koch, V., Schreff, L., Oschmann, P., Winkler, J., Gaßner, H., & Müller, R. (2023). Validity of an inertial sensor-based system for the assessment of spatio-temporal parameters in people with multiple sclerosis. Frontiers in Neurology, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2023.1164001
- da Rosa Tavares, J.E., Ullrich, M., Roth, N., Kluge, F., Eskofier, B., Gaßner, H.,... Victória Barbosa, J.L. (2023). uTUG: An unsupervised Timed Up and Go test for Parkinson's disease. Biomedical Signal Processing and Control, 81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bspc.2022.104394
2022
- Gaßner, H., Friedrich, J., Masuch, A., Jukic, J., Stallforth, S., Regensburger, M.,... Klucken, J. (2022). The Effects of an Individualized Smartphone-Based Exercise Program on Self-defined Motor Tasks in Parkinson Disease: Pilot Interventional Study. JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies, 9(4). https://doi.org/10.2196/38994
- Gaßner, H., Trutt, E., Seifferth, S., Friedrich, J., Zucker, D., Salhani, Z.,... Jost, W.H. (2022). Treadmill training and physiotherapy similarly improve dual task gait performance: a randomized-controlled trial in Parkinson's disease. Journal of Neural Transmission. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-022-02514-4
- Ibrahim, A., Flachenecker, F., Gaßner, H., Rothammer, V., Klucken, J., Eskofier, B., & Kluge, F. (2022). Short inertial sensor-based gait tests reflect perceived state fatigue in multiple sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, 58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msard.2022.103519
- Mikolaizak, A.S., Rochester, L., Maetzler, W., Sharrack, B., Demeyer, H., Mazzà, C.,... Jansen, C.P. (2022). Connecting real-world digital mobility assessment to clinical outcomes for regulatory and clinical endorsement–the Mobilise-D study protocol. PLoS ONE, 17(10 October). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269615
- Ollenschläger, M., Küderle, A., Mehringer, W., Seifer, A.-K., Winkler, J., Gaßner, H.,... Kluge, F. (2022). MaD GUI: An Open-Source Python Package for Annotation and Analysis of Time-Series Data. Sensors, 22(15). https://doi.org/10.3390/s22155849
- Regensburger, M., Spatz, I., Ollenschläger, M., Martindale, C., Lindeburg, P., Kohl, Z.,... Gaßner, H. (2022). Inertial Gait Sensors to Measure Mobility and Functioning in Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia A Cross-sectional Multicenter Clinical Study. Neurology, 99(10), E1079-E1089. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000200819
- Roth, N., Ullrich, M., Küderle, A., Gladow, T., Marxreiter, F., Gaßner, H.,... Eskofier, B. (2022). Real-World Stair Ambulation Characteristics Differ Between Prospective Fallers and Non-Fallers in Parkinson’s Disease. IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1109/JBHI.2022.3186766
- Ullrich, M., Roth, N., Küderle, A., Richer, R., Gladow, T., Gaßner, H.,... Kluge, F. (2022). Fall Risk Prediction in Parkinson’s Disease Using Real-World Inertial Sensor Gait Data. IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1109/jbhi.2022.3215921
2021
- Gaßner, H., List, J., Martindale, C., Regensburger, M., Klucken, J., Winkler, J., & Kohl, Z. (2021). Functional gait measures correlate to fear of falling, and quality of life in patients with Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia: A cross-sectional study. Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery, 209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clineuro.2021.106888
- Happold, J., Richer, R., Küderle, A., Gaßner, H., Klucken, J., Eskofier, B., & Kluge, F. (2021). Evaluation of Orthostatic Reactions in Real-World Environments Using Wearable Sensors. In IEEE (Eds.), Proceedings of the 2021 43rd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine & Biology Society (EMBC).
- Jakob, V., Küderle, A., Klucken, J., Eskofier, B., Winkler, J., Winterholler, M.,... Kluge, F. (2021). Validation of a sensor-based gait analysis system with a gold-standard motion capture system in patients with parkinson’s disease. Sensors, 21(22). https://doi.org/10.3390/s21227680
- Kluge, F., Del Din, S., Cereatti, A., Gaßner, H., Hansen, C., Helbostad, J.L.,... Mazza, C. (2021). Consensus based framework for digital mobility monitoring. PLoS ONE, 16(8). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256541
- Mészáros, L., Riemenschneider, M.J., Gaßner, H., Marxreiter, F., von Hörsten, S., Hoffmann, A., & Winkler, J. (2021). Human alpha-synuclein overexpressing MBP29 mice mimic functional and structural hallmarks of the cerebellar subtype of multiple system atrophy. Acta Neuropathologica Communications, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40478-021-01166-x
- Polhemus, A., Ortiz, L.D., Brittain, G., Chynkiamis, N., Salis, F., Gaßner, H.,... Puhan, M. (2021). Walking on common ground: a cross-disciplinary scoping review on the clinical utility of digital mobility outcomes. npj Digital Medicine, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-021-00513-5
- Roth, N., Küderle, A., Prossel, D., Gaßner, H., Eskofier, B., & Kluge, F. (2021). An inertial sensor-based gait analysis pipeline for the assessment of real-world stair ambulation parameters. Sensors, 21(19). https://doi.org/10.3390/s21196559
- Ullrich, M., Mücke, A., Küderle, A., Roth, N., Gladow, T., Gaßner, H.,... Kluge, F. (2021). Detection of unsupervised standardized gait tests from real-world inertial sensor data in Parkinson’s disease. IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 29, 2103-2111. https://doi.org/10.1109/TNSRE.2021.3119390
- Wanner, P., Winterholler, M., Gaßner, H., Winkler, J., Klucken, J., Pfeifer, K., & Steib, S. (2021). Acute exercise following skill practice promotes motor memory consolidation in Parkinson's disease. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107366
2020
- Felix, F., Gaßner, H., Julius, H., De-Hyung, L., Peter, F., Winkler, J.,... Klucken, J. (2020). Objective sensor-based gait measures reflect motor impairment in multiple sclerosis patients: Reliability and clinical validation of a wearable sensor device. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, 39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msard.2019.101903
- Fischer, S., Ullrich, M., Küderle, A., Gaßner, H., Klucken, J., Eskofier, B., & Kluge, F. (2020). Automatic clinical gait test detection from inertial sensor data. In Proceedings of the 2020 42nd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine & Biology Society (EMBC) (pp. 789 - 792). Montreal, CA.
- Gaßner, H., Jensen, D., Marxreiter, F., Kletsch, A., Bohlen, S., Schubert, R.,... Kohl, Z. (2020). Correction to: Gait variability as digital biomarker of disease severity in Huntington’s disease (Journal of Neurology, (2020), 10.1007/s00415-020-09725-3). Journal of Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-020-09789-1
- Gaßner, H., Jensen, D., Marxreiter, F., Kletsch, A., Bohlen, S., Schubert, R.,... Kohl, Z. (2020). Gait variability as digital biomarker of disease severity in Huntington’s disease. Journal of Neurology, 267(6), 1594-1601. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-020-09725-3
- Gaßner, H., Sanders, P., Dietrich, A., Marxreiter, F., Eskofier, B., Winkler, J., & Klucken, J. (2020). Clinical Relevance of Standardized Mobile Gait Tests. Reliability Analysis Between Gait Recordings at Hospital and Home in Parkinson's Disease: A Pilot Study. Journal of Parkinson's Disease, 10(4), 1763-1773. https://doi.org/10.3233/JPD-202129
- Ibrahim, A., Küderle, A., Gaßner, H., Klucken, J., Eskofier, B., & Kluge, F. (2020). Inertial sensor-based gait parameters reflect patient-reported fatigue in multiple sclerosis. Journal of neuroEngineering and rehabilitation, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12984-020-00798-9
- Marxreiter, F., Buttler, U., Gaßner, H., Gandor, F., Gladow, T., Eskofier, B.,... Klucken, J. (2020). The Use of Digital Technology and Media in German Parkinson's Disease Patients. Journal of Parkinson's Disease, 10(2), 717-727. https://doi.org/10.3233/JPD-191698
- Polhemus, A.M., Bergquist, R., Bosch de Basea, M., Brittain, G., Buttery, S.C., Chynkiamis, N.,... Frei, A. (2020). Walking-related digital mobility outcomes as clinical trial endpoint measures: protocol for a scoping review. BMJ Open, 10(7), e038704-. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038704
- Sidoroff, V., Raccagni, C., Kaindlstorfer, C., Eschlboeck, S., Fanciulli, A., Granata, R.,... Gaßner, H. (2020). Characterization of gait variability in multiple system atrophy and Parkinson's disease. Journal of Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-020-10355-y
- Sidoroff, V., Raccagni, C., Klucken, J., Seppi, K., Wenning, G.K., & Gaßner, H. (2020). Patients with Multiple System Atrophy show higher variability of gait compared to Parkinson patients: impact of walking velocity. In EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY (pp. 1118-1119). ONLINE: HOBOKEN: WILEY.
- Ullrich, M., Küderle, A., Hannink, J., Del Din, S., Gaßner, H., Marxreiter, F.,... Kluge, F. (2020). Detection of Gait From Continuous Inertial Sensor Data Using Harmonic Frequencies. IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics, 24(7), 1869 - 1878. https://doi.org/10.1109/JBHI.2020.2975361