Prof. Dr. Tibor Hortobagyi Appointed Editor-in-Chief of the Section “Neuromechanics” in Biomechanics

We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Tibor Hortobagyi has been appointed Editor-in-Chief of the Section “Neuromechanics” in Biomechanics (ISSN: 2673-7078).

Name: Prof. Dr. Tibor Hortobagyi
Affiliation: University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
Homepage: https://www.rug.nl/staff/t.hortobagyi/research
Interests: gait; posture; balance; dynamic balance; static balance; biomechanics; muscle mechanics; neural control of posture; neural control of gait; exercise and other intervention effects on motor and cognitive function; resistance training; exergaming; power training; dance training; weight shift; dual tasking; magnetic brain stimulation; peripheral nerve stimulation; EEG; fMRI; eccentric muscle function; Parkinson’s disease; multiple sclerosis; stroke; interlimb transfer; cross education; motor brain plasticity; motor spinal plasticity

The following is a short Q&A with Prof. Dr. Tibor Hortobagyi:

1. What appealed to you about the journal that encouraged you to take the role as its Section Editor-in-Chief?
The “Neuromechanics” Section of Biomechanics filled a gap in the knowledge forum. The best illustration of this is the number of courses taught around the world under this name. There are also many textbooks with the concept of neuromechanics in the title. Because human and animal movement is at the intersection of neural command and the ensuing accelerations and forces commands generate, neuromechanics will provide a valuable platform for this field of knowledge.

2. What is your vision for the journal?
Rigorously scrutinized manuscripts, reporting on the latest developments on the interaction between the central nervous system and skeletal muscle function across the whole lifespan in terms of health and disease.

3. What does the future of this field of research look like?
The neuromechanics community strives for excellence and novelty by integrating information and methods across different sub-disciplines. Such sub-fields include but are not limited to physiology, neurophysiology, physics, engineering, medicine, and computer science. This is the only way to identify the governing mechanisms and principles of human and animal voluntary movement in developing children, aging adults, and individuals who have suffered an injury and require movement rehabilitation. “Neuromechanics” is well-positioned to provide a forum for an area of scientific study that has been historically underrepresented but cannot be ignored any longer.

4. What do you think of the development of Open Access in the publishing field?
Open Access is reshaping the landscape of information dissemination. This is the only way that the latest theoretical and practical information concerning neuromechanics can reach the broadest readership geographically and otherwise. It is imperative that researchers, physicians, engineers, coaches, athletes, non-academic audiences, and policy makers can access the latest ideas about neuromechanics in low-income and lower-middle income countries worldwide. Evidence suggests that Open Access articles and books are accessed and downloaded 10-15 times more and are cited 2-3 times more than non-Open Access publications. I thus firmly believe that if publishers and academic and other stakeholders can take on the costs of publishing, Open Access publishing increases diversity and creates universal access.

We warmly welcome Prof. Dr. Tibor Hortobagyi in his role as Section Editor-in-Chief, and we look forward to him leading the “Neuromechanics” Section of Biomechanics to achieve more milestones.