The ISPGR World Congress brings together experts and researchers from around the world and provides a multidisciplinary forum to foster collaborations across disciplines, and shape the future of clinical practice, technology, and fundamental science in gait and posture research.
The Congress program consisted of high-profile keynote lectures, symposia, workshops, poster presentations, and exhibitions.
The Congress covered diverse cutting-edge topics, including digital health technology, clinical applications, novel signal processing and data analysis techniques for gait and posture analysis.
The event provided a fantastic opportunity for early-career researchers and professionals to engage with new research, share their own work, and connect with the global ISPGR community.
Nana Aboagye, Claire Wilkinson, Chiara Pirini, Jenny Wales and Mohammadreza Sedghi share their individual experiences and key takeaways from this exciting event:
“I presented a poster on my systematic review titled “Digital Biomarkers in Chronic Diseases”, which explores how wearable and sensor-based technologies are being used to objectively measure fatigue and related symptoms in chronic conditions. One of the highlights of the conference for me was attending a symposium on the measurement of digital biomarkers, which provided valuable insights into how these tools are being validated and applied across different populations. It was also a fantastic opportunity to receive feedback from leading researchers and understand how my work aligns with emerging global trends in gait and posture research. A key takeaway for me was the importance of aligning digital biomarker selection with the specific outcomes we aim to measure in interventional studies. This reinforces the need for context-specific and validated tools in designing impactful research.” - Nana Aboagye
“I presented a poster on my systematic review titled “Digital Biomarkers in Chronic Diseases”, which explores how wearable and sensor-based technologies are being used to objectively measure fatigue and related symptoms in chronic conditions.
One of the highlights of the conference for me was attending a symposium on the measurement of digital biomarkers, which provided valuable insights into how these tools are being validated and applied across different populations. It was also a fantastic opportunity to receive feedback from leading researchers and understand how my work aligns with emerging global trends in gait and posture research.
A key takeaway for me was the importance of aligning digital biomarker selection with the specific outcomes we aim to measure in interventional studies. This reinforces the need for context-specific and validated tools in designing impactful research.” - Nana Aboagye
“My poster presentation showcased the preliminary findings from my systematic review on the clinical utility of a person’s ability to turn as an outcome measure in Parkinson’s Disease. This covered the different metrics derived from turning, the different uses to understand areas of the condition and its presentation and which technologies were used to acquire the metrics. I was grateful to be able to attend the conference and to see so much of the work already being done in the area of turning and to have the opportunity to discuss this with the authors. My key takeaway was the importance of the collaborative nature of research with both patients and other researchers within and around the fields we specialise in. It was very beneficial as an engineer to learn from the clinical perspective of experts in the field.” - Claire Wilkinson
“My poster presentation showcased the preliminary findings from my systematic review on the clinical utility of a person’s ability to turn as an outcome measure in Parkinson’s Disease. This covered the different metrics derived from turning, the different uses to understand areas of the condition and its presentation and which technologies were used to acquire the metrics.
I was grateful to be able to attend the conference and to see so much of the work already being done in the area of turning and to have the opportunity to discuss this with the authors.
My key takeaway was the importance of the collaborative nature of research with both patients and other researchers within and around the fields we specialise in. It was very beneficial as an engineer to learn from the clinical perspective of experts in the field.” - Claire Wilkinson
“I presented a poster on my data analysis titled “Are digital mobility outcomes sensitive to the biologic staging system of Parkinson’s disease?”, which represents a preliminary investigation on whether walking-related digital mobility outcomes (DMOs), collected from both lab-based and real-world settings, can differentiate between the stages slight and mild of the Neuronal alpha-Synuclein Disease Integrated Staging System (NSD-ISS) of Parkinson’s disease. During the conference, I had the opportunity to attend several presentations exploring the use of digital mobility outcomes in Parkinson’s disease, focusing on the importance and challenges related to the context of data collection. I was quite surprised that no one mentioned the NSD-ISS of Parkinson’s disease, which suggests that my research approach offers a novel and potentially innovative perspective in the context of gait and posture research. This conference represented a nice opportunity to receive feedback on my work and suggestions for future implementations. My key takeaway was the importance of translating digital measures (e.g., gait or turning measures) into outcomes that are clinically helpful for clinicians in the decision-making process, and the relevance of the context in which data are collected.” - Chiara Pirini
“I presented a poster on my data analysis titled “Are digital mobility outcomes sensitive to the biologic staging system of Parkinson’s disease?”, which represents a preliminary investigation on whether walking-related digital mobility outcomes (DMOs), collected from both lab-based and real-world settings, can differentiate between the stages slight and mild of the Neuronal alpha-Synuclein Disease Integrated Staging System (NSD-ISS) of Parkinson’s disease.
During the conference, I had the opportunity to attend several presentations exploring the use of digital mobility outcomes in Parkinson’s disease, focusing on the importance and challenges related to the context of data collection. I was quite surprised that no one mentioned the NSD-ISS of Parkinson’s disease, which suggests that my research approach offers a novel and potentially innovative perspective in the context of gait and posture research. This conference represented a nice opportunity to receive feedback on my work and suggestions for future implementations.
My key takeaway was the importance of translating digital measures (e.g., gait or turning measures) into outcomes that are clinically helpful for clinicians in the decision-making process, and the relevance of the context in which data are collected.” - Chiara Pirini
“I recently presented a poster at the International Society of Posture & Gait Research (ISPGR) Conference 2025 in Maastricht titled "Digital Approaches to Measuring and Characterising Sedentary Behaviour in People with Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review" . My work explored current evidence on how digital tools are being used to measure and describe sedentary behaviour in individuals with cognitive impairment. The review highlighted both the potential and challenges in accurately capturing sedentary behaviour in this population, emphasizing the importance of innovation in this field. Presenting this work sparked insightful conversations with researchers and clinicians from around the world and it was a rewarding experience to share our findings and contribute to ongoing efforts in digital health and cognitive research. It was an incredible opportunity to present my PhD work and explore some of the exciting, emerging research shaping the field of gait and posture.” “One of the highlights of the conference for me was the Yes/No Debate, which explored the role of end-to-end patient and public involvement (PPI) in research. The debate challenged traditional views and raised important questions about the extent to which patients and the public should be involved at every stage of the research process—from setting priorities and designing studies to interpreting findings and shaping dissemination. I found it particularly engaging because it encouraged a deeper reflection on how inclusive and collaborative our research truly is. It reinforced my belief that meaningful PPI not only enhances the relevance and impact of research, but also builds trust and transparency between researchers and the communities they aim to serve. The session left me feeling both inspired and motivated to think more critically about how I can embed genuine involvement into my own work going forward.” - Jenny Wales
“I recently presented a poster at the International Society of Posture & Gait Research (ISPGR) Conference 2025 in Maastricht titled "Digital Approaches to Measuring and Characterising Sedentary Behaviour in People with Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review" . My work explored current evidence on how digital tools are being used to measure and describe sedentary behaviour in individuals with cognitive impairment. The review highlighted both the potential and challenges in accurately capturing sedentary behaviour in this population, emphasizing the importance of innovation in this field. Presenting this work sparked insightful conversations with researchers and clinicians from around the world and it was a rewarding experience to share our findings and contribute to ongoing efforts in digital health and cognitive research. It was an incredible opportunity to present my PhD work and explore some of the exciting, emerging research shaping the field of gait and posture.”
“One of the highlights of the conference for me was the Yes/No Debate, which explored the role of end-to-end patient and public involvement (PPI) in research. The debate challenged traditional views and raised important questions about the extent to which patients and the public should be involved at every stage of the research process—from setting priorities and designing studies to interpreting findings and shaping dissemination. I found it particularly engaging because it encouraged a deeper reflection on how inclusive and collaborative our research truly is. It reinforced my belief that meaningful PPI not only enhances the relevance and impact of research, but also builds trust and transparency between researchers and the communities they aim to serve. The session left me feeling both inspired and motivated to think more critically about how I can embed genuine involvement into my own work going forward.” - Jenny Wales
“I had the opportunity to present a poster at the International Society of Posture & Gait Research (ISPGR) Conference 2025 in Maastricht, titled “Wearable Measures of Sleep and Sedentary Behaviour in Neurodegenerative Conditions.” This work highlighted preliminary findings from a systematic review examining digital mobility outcomes (DMOs) used to assess rest–activity profiles in individuals living with Parkinson’s disease, Lewy body dementia, and idiopathic rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder. Attending ISPGR 2025 allowed me to engage in meaningful discussions with clinicians and researchers from around the world. These conversations provided valuable feedback on my research and opened the door to potential international collaborations, which will help make my PhD project more inclusive. Participating in symposiums, talks, and workshops offered insights into a wide range of interdisciplinary perspectives from clinical practice to engineering innovation. I also gained a deeper understanding for the role of patient and public involvement (PPI) in research, including its benefits and the practical challenges it can present.” - Mohammadreza Sedghi
“I had the opportunity to present a poster at the International Society of Posture & Gait Research (ISPGR) Conference 2025 in Maastricht, titled “Wearable Measures of Sleep and Sedentary Behaviour in Neurodegenerative Conditions.” This work highlighted preliminary findings from a systematic review examining digital mobility outcomes (DMOs) used to assess rest–activity profiles in individuals living with Parkinson’s disease, Lewy body dementia, and idiopathic rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder.
Attending ISPGR 2025 allowed me to engage in meaningful discussions with clinicians and researchers from around the world. These conversations provided valuable feedback on my research and opened the door to potential international collaborations, which will help make my PhD project more inclusive.
Participating in symposiums, talks, and workshops offered insights into a wide range of interdisciplinary perspectives from clinical practice to engineering innovation. I also gained a deeper understanding for the role of patient and public involvement (PPI) in research, including its benefits and the practical challenges it can present.” - Mohammadreza Sedghi
Besides our PhD students, we also funded several of our BRC researchers through a travel grant. They presented their work, shared findings, and led symposia sessions.
Hear more about the conference from Members of the BRC Digital Health, Ageing Innovation and Inclusion Research Theme and the Brain and Movement Research Group Jack Lumsdon, Marta Mirando, Metin Bicer, Dr Lisa Alcock and Dr Riona Mc Ardle:
“Through attending the 2025 ISPGR World Congress I was able to present my work around “Identifying meaningful Digital Mobility Outcomes in Parkinson’s disease for regulatory approval: a focus on underserved groups”. By interviewing over 60 people with Parkinson’s, recommendations are being made to promote the use of outcomes which reflect the lived experience of Parkinson’s in clinical trials to ensure meaningful data is being collected. Having been my first ISPGR, it was incredibly insightful to broaden my knowledge and awareness of the field of posture and gait research and how other teams are tackling the topic of meaningfulness to patients. With a better understanding of how my work fits into the larger picture, my attendance at this conference has aided me in writing a journal publication for this research by better identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the work and how it relates to wider contexts and trends. As a direct result of attending, I have strengthened the results section to embed meaningfulness of real-world digital mobility assessments to better argue for the use of wearables in clinical trials as opposed to lab-based assessments.” - Jack Lumsdon (Research Assistant)
“Through attending the 2025 ISPGR World Congress I was able to present my work around “Identifying meaningful Digital Mobility Outcomes in Parkinson’s disease for regulatory approval: a focus on underserved groups”. By interviewing over 60 people with Parkinson’s, recommendations are being made to promote the use of outcomes which reflect the lived experience of Parkinson’s in clinical trials to ensure meaningful data is being collected.
Having been my first ISPGR, it was incredibly insightful to broaden my knowledge and awareness of the field of posture and gait research and how other teams are tackling the topic of meaningfulness to patients. With a better understanding of how my work fits into the larger picture, my attendance at this conference has aided me in writing a journal publication for this research by better identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the work and how it relates to wider contexts and trends. As a direct result of attending, I have strengthened the results section to embed meaningfulness of real-world digital mobility assessments to better argue for the use of wearables in clinical trials as opposed to lab-based assessments.” - Jack Lumsdon (Research Assistant)
“I had the honour of attending the International Society of Posture and Gait Research (ISPGR) Congress for the first time. It was an inspiring experience and a valuable opportunity for professional and scientific growth. Over the past few months, I have been involved in a collaborative project as a visiting PhD student at Newcastle University with the Brain and Movement (BAM) Research Group, whose expertise and support have been instrumental throughout the process. During the congress, I was pleased to present the results of this collaboration. The poster I presented was entitled: “Identifying key clinical and mobility measures for fall risk classification in Parkinson’s disease.” This work aims to integrate clinical knowledge and quantitative mobility data to enhance the assessment of fall risk in individuals with Parkinson’s disease. The project has posed significant challenges but has also offered meaningful insights and professional development. It was particularly gratifying to see how much interest this topic generated among attendees. Many researchers and clinicians showed genuine enthusiasm and engaged in thoughtful discussions, reaffirming the importance and relevance of this area of study in the international scientific community. It was a privilege to share our findings in such a prestigious international setting and to engage with researchers and clinicians from around the world who are committed to advancing knowledge in the field of posture and gait research.” Marta Mirando
“I had the honour of attending the International Society of Posture and Gait Research (ISPGR) Congress for the first time. It was an inspiring experience and a valuable opportunity for professional and scientific growth.
Over the past few months, I have been involved in a collaborative project as a visiting PhD student at Newcastle University with the Brain and Movement (BAM) Research Group, whose expertise and support have been instrumental throughout the process. During the congress, I was pleased to present the results of this collaboration. The poster I presented was entitled: “Identifying key clinical and mobility measures for fall risk classification in Parkinson’s disease.” This work aims to integrate clinical knowledge and quantitative mobility data to enhance the assessment of fall risk in individuals with Parkinson’s disease. The project has posed significant challenges but has also offered meaningful insights and professional development.
It was particularly gratifying to see how much interest this topic generated among attendees. Many researchers and clinicians showed genuine enthusiasm and engaged in thoughtful discussions, reaffirming the importance and relevance of this area of study in the international scientific community.
It was a privilege to share our findings in such a prestigious international setting and to engage with researchers and clinicians from around the world who are committed to advancing knowledge in the field of posture and gait research.” Marta Mirando
“I am grateful to the Biomedical Research Centre for generously supporting my attendance at the ISPGR conference, where I had the opportunity to present my poster titled “Activity Recognition Across Multiple Daily Activities Using Deep Learning and Wearable Sensors: A Proof-of-Concept Study.” Participating in the conference allowed me to receive constructive and encouraging feedback on my research abstract from both peers and experts in the field, which has provided valuable insights for refining my work. Moreover, the conference offered an excellent platform to engage with leading researchers, enabling me to expand my professional network and explore potential avenues for future collaboration. This experience has significantly contributed to my academic development and broadened my perspective on current advancements in gait and posture research.” Metin Bicer
“This years congress marked the first year that I have served on the ISPGR board representing Europe. Attending this congress would not have been possible without funding awarded from the NIHR BRC Digital Health Theme. I led two symposia sessions; the first of which was entitled; ‘Disentangling real-world signatures of locomotion in ageing and neurodegeneration: from disease-specific early signs to decreased functional mobility (image below)’ and featured talks on the use of wearables for monitoring mobility in a broad range of individuals (those who fall, people with cerebellar ataxia, dementia and Parkinson’s disease (PD)). The symposia was well-received with >100 attendees sparking insightful exchanges and discussion. The second symposia was entitled: ‘Relevance of real-world digital mobility outcomes for quantifying disease progression and therapeutic response in Parkinson’s disease and atypical parkinsonian syndromes’ and comprised talks covering early findings from the Mobilise-D Clinical Validation Study. In addition, I presented two posters covering digital mobility outcomes in people with PD who fall, and clinical validity of gait in people with a rare form of limb girdle dystrophy. The highlight of the conference for me was the guided poster tours – a new feature of the ISPGR congress. I was invited to lead one of the tours focusing on neurodegenerative diseases – I selected five posters to visit and led a small group to each of the posters” - Dr Lisa Alcock
"It was fantastic to be back at ISPGR this year in Maastricht, with the support of Newcastle’s NIHR Biomedical Research Centre. I presented on work from our Digital Health Theme, entitled “Real-world mobility monitoring across dementia subtypes: applications in diagnosis and post-diagnostic support” as part of the “‘Disentangling real-world signatures of locomotion in ageing and neurodegeneration: from disease-specific early signs to decreased functional mobility” symposium. This allowed me to share novel insights into mobility in dementia from our Alzheimer’s Research UK funded study “Identifying digital mobility signatures in atypical dementia”, led by my collaborator Dr Keir Yong (UCL), and from my NIHR Advanced Fellowship " Identifying modifiable psychosocial outcomes to maintain physical ACTIVity and promote independence in DEMentia”. This talk, and symposium as a whole, generated a lot of interest and was a really good platform to showcase the work and network with leaders in the gait and posture field. I also presented a poster featuring work I conducted in collaboration with Professor Ngaire Kerse’s team at the University of Auckland, and Dr Jochen Klenk from University of Ulm, “Rethinking the role of ambulatory activity in falls risk in aged residential care: influence of physical capacity and cognitive impairment”. Overall, the conference was a great experience and I feel especially privileged to have seen my PhD students Jenny Wales and Jack Lumsdon present their work, which was met with great interest by a range of interdisciplinary researchers." - Dr Riona Mc Ardle
We are very grateful for the opportunity to attend ISPGR 2025. We would also like to sincerely thank the NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) for awarding us travel bursaries, which supported our participation in the event.