Erika Franzén

Erika Franzén

Professor/Physical Therapist | Dean

Professor in physiotherapy with a joint position at Karolinska University Hospital. Dean of doctoral education. Research on exercise in Parkinson’s disease.

Telephone: +46852488878
Mobile phone: +46737121593
Visiting address: Alfred Nobels Allé 23, 14183 Huddinge
Postal address: H1 Neurobiologi, vårdvetenskap och samhälle, H1 Fysioterapi Franzen, 171 77 Stockholm
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About me

  • I am professor at the division of physiotherapy, KI with a joint position between KI and at Karolinska University Hospital and affiliated to Stockholms Sjukhem. Currently, I also work as dean of doctoral education and scientific director of the uMOVE core facility at KI.

    I obtained my bachelor degree and professional diploma in Physiotherapy at the College of Caring Science in Boden, Sweden, master of physioterapy at KI and PhD in medical sciences at KI with the theisis Effects of healthy aging on balance : A quantitative analysis of clinical tests. I thereafter made my postdoctoral training under the supervision of Professors Fay Horak and Victor Gurfinkel at the Balance Disorders Laboratory at Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, USA.

Research

  • My research focus is on balance (postural control) and motor control with a special interest in elderly and individuals with neurological disorders (Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, cerebellar ataxia and stroke). I have unique competence in both clinical and laboratory methods for measuring postural control and movement. I lead a research group of 15 members with a focus on translational research from exploring neuronal mechanisms to clinical interventions/implementation in the field of neurological and geriatric rehabilitation. Today my research group consists of me as leader and two team leaders/deputy group leaders (docents), PhD students, PhDs, postdocs, assistant professors and research assistants.

    I am currently main supervisor for three PhD students and co-supervising six PhD students. I am also currently supervising two postdocs. In the past I have supervised 6 PhD-student as main supervisor, 9 as co-supervisor, 8 postdoc’s and several master and bachelor students.

Teaching

  • My areas of teaching expertise are the field of postural control, motor control, elderly, falls, exercise, balance and gait specifically in relation to Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders or aging. I have a special interest in laboratory and clinical measures for balance and gait abilities.I have a large experience in lecturing and leading seminars and laboratory work but also in individual supervision of student project, at bachelor, master and PhD level. I have also experience from course coordination and development of courses as well as examiner and moderator.

    Other teaching merits are member of the board for the physiotherapy and occupational programs, chair of the theme committee for semester 6 of the physiotherapist programme, course coordination as well as the KI board of education. I am also a member of the pedagogical academy at KI.

Articles

All other publications

Grants

Employments

  • Professor/Physical Therapist, Physiotherapy, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, 2022-
  • Professor/Physiotherapist, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, 2020-2022
  • Senior Lecturer/Physcial Therapist, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, 2018-2020
  • Senior Lecturer/Physiotherapist, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, 2017-2018
  • Senior Lecturer, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, 2011-2017
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, 2011-2015

Degrees and Education

  • Docent, Karolinska Institutet, 2013
  • Doctor Of Philosophy, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, 2006
  • Master Of Medical Science, Karolinska Institutet, 2002
  • BSc in Physiotherapy, University College of Caring Science in Boden, 1997

Leadership and responsibility assignments

  • Dean, Dean for Doctoral Education, Karolinska Institutet, 2026-
  • Head of department, Acting head (biträdande prefekt) at the department of NVS with responsibility as “temaprefekt” for the collaboration with allied health professionals at Karolinska University Hospital., Karolinska Institutet, 2019-
  • Vice-chairperson of the committee for doctoral education, Karolinska Institutet, 2019-2026
  • Director of core facility, uMOVE core facility, Karolinska Institutet, 2018-
  • Director of research and education (FoU-Chef) at the Allied Health, working with all health professionals (physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, counsellors, speech therapists and nutritionists) with development work, research, innovation and education.h Professions Function, Karolinska University Hospital, 2016-2019
  • Research team leader, Research group leader of my own group with approximately 15 members (http://ki.se/en/nvs/franzen-group) the Department of Neurobiology, Care sciences and Society., Department of NVS, Karolinska Institutet, 2014-

Supervision

  • Supervision to doctoral degree

    • Nadejda Baraznenok, ParkMOVE project: Development and evaluation of a personalized exercise program in people with Parkinson’s disease, 2025-
    • Lisa Sandberg, Physical activity in people with Parkinson’s disease –risk factors, exercise effects and connections to brain function, 2023-
    • Freidle Malin, Motor and cognitive abilities in Parkinson’s disease with a brain activity perspective: performance at baseline and the effects of a balance training program, 2022
    • Bendt Martina, Adults with Spina bifida –from health and living conditions to motor-cognitive performance, 2022
    • Alexander Kvist, Evaluating complex walking in aging and neurological disease: from motor behavior to brain activity, 2021-
    • Johansson Hanna, Balance control and Exercise in Parkinson’s disease: from perceptions to neuroplastic biomarkers, 2020
    • Rennie Linda, Gait in elderly with Parkinson’s disease –Long term effects of a highly challenging balance training program, 2020
    • Moulaee Conradsson David, Balance control in older adults with Parkinson’s disease - effects of medication and exercise, 2016
    • Löfgren Niklas, Gait and balance in Parkinson’s disease- psychometric properties and effects of training., 2016

Committee work

  • Vice chair, Committee of doctoral education, Karolinska Institutet, 2019-
  • Chair, FoUU group and KI USV responsible for allied health professionals, Women’s Health and Allied Health Professionals Theme, Karolinska University Hospital, 2019-
  • Chair, Course and programme committee, 2019-
  • Member, Steering group of the unit of teaching and learning (UoL), , Karolinska Institutet, 2019-2022
  • Member, Member of the research council (KI-Region Stockholm), Karolinska Institutet, 2019-
  • Member, Board of Karolinska Institutet (Konsistoriet), Karolinska Institutet, 2015-2016

Visiting research fellowships

  • Postdoc at the Balance Disorders Laboratory at Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, USA, under the supervision of Professors Fay Horak and Victor Gurfinkel., Oregon Health & Science University, 2007-2008

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