Photo courtesy of Christian Hubicki. Trainees Kodi Ferrell, Nishita Vaddella, and Miguel Santos present their work at the Capstone Symposium at the close of the Integrative Movement Sciences Institute Summer Institute 2024 (IMSI-SI-2024) on Sept. 6, 2024.

Are you fascinated by how humans and animals move? Do you want to explore the science behind agile and stable movement, biomechanics, muscle and sensorimotor function? The IMSI Summer Institute 2025 (IMSI-SI 2025) offers a unique opportunity to engage in cutting-edge interdisciplinary research at the intersection of biophysics, physiology, biomechanics and neuroscience.

Bringing together researchers from over 20 institutions, IMSI-SI 2025 provides trainees with hands-on experience in movement science, from studying molecular mechanisms of muscle contraction, and dynamic muscle control of movement to comparing movement dynamics across species. Participants will collaborate with leading scientists, develop research skills, and enhance their scientific communication abilities.

Research Focus: Trainees will contribute to projects that explore:

  • Molecular mechanisms of muscle contraction and models of muscle contraction dynamics
  • How muscles control movement under unsteady or challenging conditions
  • The integration of molecular, neural, and mechanical systems in locomotion
  • Comparative biomechanics across species to understand evolutionary diversity of movement
  • Movement in real-world, ecologically complex environments

Program Details: Participants will engage in full-time, in-person research over 6-10 weeks (depending on the project), working closely with faculty mentors and research teams. There will be a few remote or part-remote options for specific approved projects. Weekly virtual workshops will deepen interdisciplinary learning, and trainees will present their findings at a Capstone Symposium on September 4th and 5th, 2025 (hybrid format, dates to be confirmed).

Research Locations: UC Irvine, UC Riverside, USC, Georgia Tech, Argonne National Lab, and other partner institutions.

UC Irvine-based program dates: June 30 – September 5th, 2025

Funding & Support

  • Trainees: $600/week honorarium for full-time participation, subject to NSF eligibility rules 
  • Near-peer mentors: $500 honorarium upon completion of Excellence in Mentoring certificate
  • Mentor-trainees: Act both as near-peer mentors in their area of expertise, and trainees on a project in a new research area.  Eligible for both trainee stipend and mentoring honorarium.
  • Housing and travel support may be available for trainees conducting research away from their home institution. Housing arrangements will need to be requested and coordinated through IMSI to confirm use of university-approved accommodations.

Training & Mentorship: IMSI-SI 2025 provides interdisciplinary workshops, research mentorship, and training in team science and communication. Trainees will receive oustanding support through near-peer mentoring,  collaborative co-supervision by faculty and will have access to mentorship training through the Excellence in Mentoring program, supporting their development as researchers, science communicators and educators.

How to Apply

Interested in joining IMSI-SI 2025?

To apply as a trainee or mentor-trainee, fill out the form here: Link

To apply as a near-peer mentor, fill out the form here: Link

Application Deadline: March 31st, 2025

Available IMSI-SI 2025 Research Projects

1. Navigating Nature: Animal Pathways in Complex Terrain

Description:
How do animals pick their path? Dive into the biomechanics of how animals choose their path in challenging environments, exploring foot placement strategies and the decision-making processes that help them navigate complex terrains.

Principal Investigators: Craig McGowan, Nidhi Seethapathi, Jill McNitt-Gray
Dates: June 9, 2025 – August 1, 2025
Location: University of Southern California, Health Sciences Campus

2. Race for Movement: The Dynamics of Competition in the Wild

Description:
Quantifying movement dynamics in the field: Analyze how competition impacts movement patterns in natural environments. This project revisits field data to understand how animals adjust their locomotion in the presence or absence of competitors.

Principal Investigators: Clint Collins, Craig McGowan, Nidhi Seethapathi, Jill McNitt-Gray
Dates: June 9, 2025 – August 1, 2025
Location: University of Southern California, Health Sciences Campus

3. Balancing Act: Understanding Individual Variability in Balance and Stability

Description:
How does balance performance vary with experience, athletic or performance training, strength, flexibility, and cognitive factors? This study will explore the sources of individual differences in balance performance, to gain insight into the sensorimotor mechanisms used to maintain balance and stability.

Principal Investigators: Monica Daley, Sasha Voloshina
Dates: July 1, 2025 – August 31, 2025
Location: University of California, Irvine

4. Muscle in Motion: Perturbed Hopping and Joint Function

Description:
How do muscle-tendon and joint-level mechanics contribute to stability in perturbed hopping? Discover how muscles respond and adapt when movement is disrupted, providing key insights into dynamic muscle function.

Principal Investigators: Monica Daley, Sasha Voloshina, Jill McNitt-Gray
Dates: July 1, 2025 – August 31, 2025
Location: University of California, Irvine

5. Risky Moves: Locomotion Strategies Under Varied Risk-Reward Landscapes

Description:
Study how animals adjust their movement strategies when facing risks in their environment. This project explores how fear and environmental risks influence locomotion and decision-making in the wild.

Principal Investigators: Monica Daley, Craig McGowan, Christian Hubicki, Nidhi Seethapathi, Jill McNitt-Gray
Dates: July 1, 2025 – August 31, 2025
Location: University of California, Irvine, Anza-Borrego Field Station

6. Unlocking the Sarcomere: X-ray Diffraction in Mice

Description:
Take part in cutting-edge x-ray diffraction experiments at Argonne National Laboratory, investigating how muscle structure and function change under different conditions of activation and strain.

Principal Investigators: Bert Tanner, Kiisa Nishikawa, Simon Sponberg
Dates: May 15, 2025 – August 15, 2025
Location: Argonne National Laboratory (5 days), remote

7. Muscle Most Bizarre: X-ray Views into the Strange Architectures of Invertebrate Muscles

Description:
Take part in cutting-edge x-ray diffraction experiments at Argonne National Laboratory, investigating how the unusual structures of several invertebrate muscles shape their function from molecule to tissue.

Principal Investigators: Simon Sponberg, Joe Thompson, Brett Aiello
Dates: May 10, 2025 – July 31, 2025
Location: Argonne National Laboratory (5 days), remote

8. Bullfrog Muscle Power: Active Stiffness and Titin Isoforms

Description:
Examine the active stiffness of bullfrog muscles with different titin isoforms in this lab-based study hosted at UCR. This project explores the mechanical properties of muscles and their variations across species, offering insight into muscle function in amphibians.

Principal Investigators: Jenna Monroy, Kiisa Nishikawa, Natalie Holt
Dates: July 1st /2025 – August 15 2025
Location: University of California, Riverside

9. In Vivo Muscle Function in Bullfrogs

Description:
Study the in vivo function of bullfrog muscles at University of California, Irvine, focusing on how muscle behavior changes under natural conditions. This project examines how these muscles adapt to different environments and tasks, contributing to a broader understanding of muscle dynamics in living organisms.

Principal Investigators: Natalie Holt, Manny Azizi
Dates: July 1, 2025 – August 13, 2025
Location: University of California, Irvine, Azizi Lab

10. Muscle-Tendon Synergy: Energy Exchange in Motion

Description:
Explore how energy flows between muscle and tendon during movement. This project, hosted at University of California, Irvine, focuses on ramp stretch experiments to understand how muscle-tendon units change their behavior with different muscle lengths and activation levels.

Principal Investigators: Kiisa Nishikawa, Manny Azizi
Dates: July 1, 2025 – August 31, 2025
Location: University of California, Irvine, Azizi Lab

11. Tension and Motion: The Muscle-Tendon Dance in Vivo

Description:
Investigate how muscles and tendons interact in living organisms. This project integrates in situ and in vivo studies to examine how muscle-tendon units respond to dynamic forces and perturbations.

Principal Investigators: Monica Daley, Manny Azizi
Dates: July 1, 2025 – August 31, 2025
Location: University of California, Irvine

12. Sensing and Motion: Perturbing Proprioceptive Feedback in Dynamic Tasks

Description:
Investigate how disrupting proprioception affects the adaptation of leg stiffness and lower-limb mechanics in a human hopping task before, during, and after added mass. Examine how different forms of verbal instruction from experimenters influence participants’ choice of lower-limb mechanics during the same task.

Principal Investigators: Monica Daley, Manny Azizi
Dates: July 1, 2025 – August 31, 2025
Location: University of California, Irvine

13. Gait Performance: Capacity, Error, and Movement

Description:
This project will investigate how individual capacity and cognitive factors influence gait performance, error correction, and adaptation in response to errors.

Principal Investigators: Sasha Voloshina, Monica Daley
Dates: July 1, 2025 – August 31, 2025
Location: University of California, Irvine

14. Human-Robot Synergy: Adaptive Sensorimotor Systems

Description:
Explore the intersection of human-robot collaboration by investigating how adaptive sensorimotor systems improve performance. This project looks at how humans and robots work together seamlessly to achieve optimal task execution.

Principal Investigators: Greg Sawicki, Lena Ting
Dates: June 15, 2025 – August 1, 2025
Location: Georgia Institute of Technology

15. Muscle Power Unleashed: Data Models of Force Production

Description:
Delve into the science of skeletal muscle force production through data-driven models. This project aims to understand how muscles generate force and the factors that influence their power, providing insights into muscle function and performance.

Principal Investigators: Greg Sawicki, Lena Ting, Simon Sponberg
Dates: June 15, 2025 – August 1, 2025
Location: Georgia Institute of Technology

16. Pop Up Movement Science Arenas

Description:
Research Question: How do humans navigate challenging environments? Pick their path and foot placement with varied terrain and spatial constraints? Research questions will focus on foot placement strategies relative to center-of-mass trajectories and determining what individuals value in their decision-making approach: pilot tech for arena set-ups for C3 and C4 projects investigating how capacity influences decision-making, maneuverability, unexpected challenges, and learning in real-world scenarios.

Principal Investigators: Kelli Sharp, Jill McNitt-Gray
Dates: June 2, 2025 – July 18, 2025
Location: Remote

17. Powering Muscle: Fish Muscle Work Loops and Joint Mechanics

Description:
Dive into closed-loop work loops using fish muscle to understand how mechanical properties of joints and body mechanics affect the ability of antagonistic muscles to produce high power or stabilize against perturbations. This project bridges biomechanics and muscle function in aquatic environments.

Principal Investigators: Eric Tytell, Kiisa Nishikawa, Simon Sponberg
Dates: May 19, 2025 – August 23, 2025
Location: Tufts University

18. Staying on Your Feet: How Capacity Shapes Balance Resilience

Description:
Explore how variations in physical capacity influence resilience to balance disturbances during walking. Examine how individuals respond to perturbations, adapt their gait, and maintain stability in dynamic environments. Findings will inform strategies for improving mobility, injury prevention, and rehabilitation.

Principal Investigators: James Finley, Anne Silverman
Dates: June 2, 2025 – August 8, 2025
Location: Locomotor Control Lab, University of Southern California

19. Jumping vs. Running: Can an ex vivo mouse muscle avatar emulate force production of jumping kangaroo rats?

Description:
Conduct ex vivo experiments on mouse extensor digitorum longus muscles using in vivo strain and activation patterns from the kangaroo rat medial gastrocnemius muscle during jumping on a treadmill.Principal Investigators: Craig McGowan, Kiisa Nishikawa
Dates: May 19, 2025 – August 23, 2025
Location: Nishikawa Laboratory, Northern Arizona University

Note: Project details and availability are subject to change

Read more about last year’s summer institute here: Link

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