Patrick Manser
Research
My research lies at the intersection of health and technology – focused on the purposeful co-development, evaluation, and implementation of exergame-based precision prevention and rehabilitation concepts for neurodegenerative diseases.
My mission is to rigorously commit to multidisciplinary and patient-centered research with adequate theoretical underpinnings by advancing research methodologies and putting them into practice to co-create credible, well-accepted, and effective solutions that enhance clinical practice and improve care for individuals and communities in need.
My vision is to sustainably improve clinical care through personalized training concepts that are fine-tuned to local needs and requirements of implementers – and thereby actively contribute to the digital transformation of healthcare.
Discover my research and academic vision on my award-winning website: https://www.patrick-manser.com
Teaching
To date, I have given a total of 212 university lectures – 172 from teaching assignments, four additional invited lectures, and 36 as a teaching assistant. In addition, I have contributed to curriculum development and refinement as follows:
I have planned, implemented, and continuously refined the lecture series “Human Movement Analysis” for the newly established Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy at OST - Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences between 2021 and 2023 together with Prof. Dr. Eling D. de Bruin. This course equips students with essential skills in both analogue and technology-assisted gait and movement analysis using various clinical protocols. It emphasizes the relevance of these methods as part of an accurate differential diagnosis that forms the basis for developing effective treatment plans. As part of this course development, I established a complete course script, topic-specific handouts, workshop guides, as well as a Moodle platform with formative assessments.
I also contributed as a research assistant in the Exercise Physiology Laboratory of Prof. Dr. Christina M. Spengler at ETH Zurich. In this role, I was involved in: (i) course development and establishment of the e-learning platform for exercise physiology; and (ii) the assistance in the practical training ‘Sports Physiology’. As part of this course development, I established a complete e-learning course covering 16 chapters each including formative assessments.
Selected publications
- Article: ALZHEIMERS RESEARCH & THERAPY. 2025;17(1):190Manser P; Rosio M; Schmidt A; Michels L; de Bruin ED
- Article: NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS. 2025;176:106260Manser P; de Bruin ED; Temprado J-J; Bherer L; Herold F
- Review: AGEING RESEARCH REVIEWS. 2024;99:102385Manser P; Herold F; de Bruin ED
- Article: ALZHEIMERS & DEMENTIA. 2024;20(7):4747-4764Manser P; de Bruin ED
- Article: FRONTIERS IN AGING NEUROSCIENCE. 2021;13:734012Manser P; de Bruin ED
Articles
- Journal article: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY. 2025;:1-6Herold F; Zou L; Theobald P; Manser P; Falck RS; Yu Q; Liu-Ambrose T; Kramer AF; Erickson KI; Cheval B; Chen Y; Heath M; Zhang Z; Ishihara T; Kamijo K; Ando S; Costello JT; Hallgren M; Moreau D; Farrahi V; Raichlen DA; Stamatakis E; Wheeler MJ; Owen N; Ludyga S; Budde H; Gronwald T
- Article: JMIR SERIOUS GAMES. 2025;13:e65878Kaiser W; de Bruin ED; Manser P
- Article: FRONTIERS IN AGING NEUROSCIENCE. 2024;16:1498687Czopek-Rowinska J; de Bruin E; Manser P
- Journal article: JMIR PREPRINTS. 2024Kaiser W; de Bruin ED; Manser P
- Article: BMC GERIATRICS. 2024;24(1):613Manser P; de Bruin E
- Article: BMC SPORTS SCIENCE MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION. 2024;16(1):141Manser P; de Bruin ED
- Article: FRONTIERS IN SPORTS AND ACTIVE LIVING. 2024;6:1397949Huber SK; Manser P; de Bruin ED
- Article: FRONTIERS IN AGING NEUROSCIENCE. 2023;15:1163388Manser P; Poikonen H; de Bruin ED
- Article: PLOS ONE. 2023;18(6):e0286556Manser P; Huber S; Seinsche JD; de Bruin E; Giannouli E; Shiferaw KB; Abu Alim MA
- Article: JMIR RESEARCH PROTOCOLS. 2023;12:e41173Manser P; Michels L; Schmidt A; Barinka F; de Bruin ED
- Article: JMIR SERIOUS GAMES. 2023;11:e37616Manser P; Adcock-Omlin M; de Bruin ED
All other publications
- Review: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY. 2025;125(10):2679-2707Herold F; Zou L; Theobald P; Manser P; Falck RS; Yu Q; Liu-Ambrose T; Kramer AF; Erickson KI; Cheval B; Chen Y; Heath M; Zhang Z; Ishihara T; Kamijo K; Ando S; Costello JT; Hallgren M; Moreau D; Farrahi V; Raichlen DA; Stamatakis E; Wheeler MJ; Owen N; Ludyga S; Budde H; Gronwald T
- Preprint: MEDRXIV. 2025Manser P; Hardeman LES; Wallin A; Conradsson DM; Leavy B; Albrecht F; Roerdink M; Temprado J-J; de Bruin E; Franzen E
- Preprint: SOCIETY FOR TRANSPARENCY, OPENNESS, AND REPLICATION IN KINESIOLOGY. 2024Herold F; Zou L; Theobald P; Manser P; Falck RS; Yu Q; Liu-Ambrose T; Hillman CH; Kramer AK; Erickson KI; Cheval B; Chen Y; Heath M; Zhang Z; Ishihara T; Kamijo K; Ando S; Gao Y; Costello JP; Hou M; Hallgren M; Chen Z; Moreau D; Farrahi V; Raichlen DA; Stamatakis E; Wheeler MJ; Owen N; Ludyga S; Budde H; Gronwald T
- Conference publication: CURRENT ISSUES IN SPORT SCIENCE. 2024;9(2):021Manser P; De Bruin ED
- Doctoral thesis: 2024Manser P
- Review: FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY. 2021;12:686129Manser P; Thalmann M; Adcock M; Knols RH; de Bruin ED
Grants
- Strategic Research Area Health Care Science (SFO-V) at Karolinska Institutet1 April 2025 - 31 December 2025
- PPI Preperatory Grant for Project "TRAIN-IT - TRAINing of cognitive reserve in institutionalized older adults with mild to major neurocognitive disorder using Information Technology added to usual care – a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled superiority trial"Swiss National Science Foundation1 August 2022 - 30 November 2022
Employments
- Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, 2024-2026
- Lecturer, Lecture Series “Human Movement Analysis” and “Evidence-based Intervention Planning“ for Students “Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy“, Department of Health, OST – Eastern Swiss University of Applied Sciences, 2023-2023
- Lecturer, Lecture Series “Human Movement Analysis” and “Evidence-based Intervention Planning“ for Students “Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy“, Department of Health, OST – Eastern Swiss University of Applied Sciences, 2022-2022
- Lecturer, Lecture Series “Human Movement Analysis” and “Evidence-based Intervention Planning“ for Students “Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy“, Department of Health, OST – Eastern Swiss University of Applied Sciences, 2021-2021
- Master’s Thesis Project, project title: The Reactivity of Heart Rate Variability as a Potential Biomarker and Monitoring Tool to Promote Healthy Ageing - A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Research Centre - Directorate of Research and Education, University Hospital of Zurich, 2020-2020
- Student Research Internship, (1) Development of a taxonomy for exergame-based motor-cognitive training in chronic stroke patients (2) Planning and organization (including writing of the ethics application) of a pilot intervention study investigating the resulting training taxonomy, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 2019-2020
- Research Assistant, (1) Extension of the online learning platform for the exercise physiology course at the Exercise Physiology Lab, (2) Synthesis, preparation, statistical analysis, and interpretation of datasets of the Exercise Physiology Lab, (3) Assistance in the practical training ‘Sports Physiology’, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 2017-2019
- Fitness Instructor, Update Fitness AG, 2015-2017
Degrees and Education
- Doctor of Science ETH in Health Sciences and Technology, Field: Technology-enhanced and Individually Tailored Training, Brain-IT - Targeting the Brain using Information Technology for Secondary Prevention of mild Neurocognitive Disorder, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 2024
- Teaching Certificate in Health Sciences and Technology, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 2023
- Master of Science ETH in Health Sciences and Technology, Specialization: Human Movement Sciences and Sport, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 2020
- Bachelor of Science ETH in Health Sciences and Technology, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 2019
- Fitness Instructor, Update Academy, 2015
Distinction and awards
- ISPGR Travel Stipend Award 2025, International Society of Posture & Gait Research, https://ispgr.org/awards/#travelstipend, 2025
- Best Academic Portfolio Website 2025, The Academic Designer LLC, https://theacademicdesigner.com/2025/winners-of-the-best-personal-academic-websites-contest-2025/, 2025
- Vontobel Prize for Age(ing) Research 2024, For the publication „“Brain-IT”: Exergame training with biofeedback breathing in neurocognitive disorders“ (https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.13913), Center for Gerontology, University of Zurich, https://www.zfg.uzh.ch/de/forschung/forschungfoerderung/preis/2024.html, 2024
- Award: Winner of the 3 Minute Thesis Competition at the 2023 World Congress of the International Society of Posture & Gait Research, International Society of Posture & Gait Research (ISPGR), https://ispgr.org/3mt-competition/, 2023
Supervision
Supervision to doctoral degree
- Nadejda Baraznenok, https://ki.se/en/people/nadejda-baraznenok, 2025-
Other researchers who have defended a thesis
- Enis Ljatifi, Master's Thesis: Effectiveness of an Exergame Based Training on Learning and Memory in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment Compared to Usual Care: A Randomized Controlled Trial, 2023
- Julia Müller, Master's Thesis: Effectiveness of a 12-week Exergame-Based Motor-Cognitive Training on Patient-Centered Outcomes in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment Compared to Usual Care: A Randomized Controlled Trial, 2023
- Julia Czopek-Rowinska, Master's Thesis: Diagnostic Accuracy of Heart Rate Variability as a Screening Tool for Mild Neurocognitive Disorder, 2023-
- Wanda Kaiser, Master's Thesis: Evaluation of Domain-Specific Exergame Metrics in Older Adults with Mild Neurocognitive Disorder, 2023-2024
- Kathrin Rohr, Master's Thesis: Development and Initial Validation of the German Version of the Exergame Enjoyment Questionnaire (EEQ-DE), 2022-2023
- Nadine Decher, Master's Thesis: Effects of a 12-Week Exergame-based Motor Cognitive Training Concept on Working Memory Function in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment – a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, 2022
- Anna Riedler, Master's Thesis: The Effect of a 12-Week Exergame Based Motor Cognitive Training on Psychological Factors, Cognitive Functions and Heart Rate Variability in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment Compared to Usual Care, 2022-2023
- Karishma Thekkanath, Master's Thesis: Reliability and Validity of Heart Rate Variability Reactivity as Internal Load Parameter for Exergaming in Older Adults – a Within-Person Trial, 2021
- Patricia Groth, Master's Thesis: Feasibility, Usability and Acceptance of a Newly Developed Exergame-Based Intervention Con- cept for Older Adults with Mild Neurocognitive Disorder – A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, 2021-2022
Committee work
- Member, Communications Committee of the International Society of Posture & Gait Research, 2023-
Journal reviewing
- Health Psychology Review, Tailor & Francis, Anonymous peer review, https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/rhpr20, 2025
- Frontiers in Public Health, Anonymous peer review, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health, 2025
- Health Science Reports, Wiley, Anonymous peer review, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/23988835, 2025
- JMIR Serious Games, JMIR, Anonymous peer review, https://games.jmir.org/, 2024
- Brain and Behavior, Wiley, Anonymous peer review, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/21579032, 2024
- Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) - Ageing, JMIR, Anonymous peer review, https://aging.jmir.org/, 2024
- PLOS ONE, Anonymous peer review, https://journals.plos.org/plosone/, 2024
- Neurobiology of Aging, Elsevier, Anonymous peer review, https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/neurobiology-of-aging, 2024
- Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, Dovepress, https://www.dovepress.com/journal-of-multidisciplinary-healthcare-journal, 2024
- Clinical Interventions in Ageing, Dovepress, Anonymous peer review, https://www.dovepress.com/clinical-interventions-in-aging-journal, 2024
- Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, Wiley, Anonymous peer review, https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15525279, 2024
- Scientific Reports, Nature, Anonymous peer review, https://www.nature.com/srep/, 2024
- Journal of Clinical Nursing, Wiley, Anonymous peer review, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652702, 2024
- Frontiers in Psychology, Frontiers Media SA, Anonymous peer review, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology, 2024
- Digital Health, Sage, Anonymous peer review, https://journals.sagepub.com/home/DHJ, 2024
- International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, Taylor & Francis, Anonymous peer review, https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/hihc20, 2024
- Behaviour & Information Technology, Taylor & Francis, Anonymous peer review, https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/tbit20, 2024
- GeroScience (Official Journal of the American Aging Association), Springer, Anonymous peer review, https://link.springer.com/journal/11357, 2024
- Frontiers in Aging, Frontiers Media SA, Anonymous peer review, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aging, 2023
- Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology, SAGE Publications Inc, Anonymous peer review, https://journals.sagepub.com/home/jgp, 2023
- Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) - Serious Games, Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR), Anonymous peer review, https://games.jmir.org/, 2022
- Innovation and Research in BioMedical engineering (IRBM), Elsevier, Anonymous peer review, https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/irbm, 2022
Conference/event participation
- Oral presenter of own accepted abstract, Swiss Society of Sports Sciences (SGS) – 15th Annual Conference, Brain-IT - Targeting the Brain using Information Technology for Secondary Prevention of mild Neurocognitive Disorder (a part of the finalist’s presentations of the Young Investigator Award), 2024
- Invited speaker, International Society of Gait & Posture Research (ISPGR) - Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition, Role: interviewer (in my role as past years’ 3MT® winner) of Prof. Dr. Melvyn Roerdink about, experiences, key learnings, and advice for early career researcher in navigating in academia., https://ispgr.org/3mt-competition/, 2024
- Poster presenter of own accepted abstract, Collaboration in Science 2024, Conference "Collaboration in Science 2024" organized by Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Cognitive and Brain Volumetric Improvements in Response to ‘Brain-IT’ in Neurocognitive Disorders: A RCT, 2024
- Invited speaker, 23rd Zurich Gerontology Day, Short presentation and acceptance speech for receiving the Vontobel Prize for Age(ing) Research 2024 from the Center for Gerontology at the University of Zurich for the publication “‘Brain-IT’: Exergame training with biofeedback breathing in neurocognitive disorders”, https://www.zfg.uzh.ch/de/veranstaltungen/gerontologietage/2024.html, "Brain-IT": Exergame training with biofeedback breathing in neurocognitive disorders, https://www.zfg.uzh.ch/de/forschung/forschungfoerderung/preis/2024.html, 2024
- Oral presenter of own accepted abstract, European College of Sports Science – 2024 Annual Congress, Effectiveness Of ‘Brain-It’ - An Exergame-Based Training Concept for Secondary Prevention of Mild Neurocognitive Disorder - Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial, 2024
- Poster presenter of own accepted abstract, Synapsis Forum 2023 – Scientific exchange for researchers investigating Alzheimer’s disease and neurodegeneration, Diagnostic Accuracy, Reliability, and Construct Validity of the German Quick Mild Cognitive Impairment Screen, 2023
- Poster presenter of own accepted abstract, International Society of Gait & Posture Research (ISPGR) – World Congress 2023, Design, Development, and Evaluation of an Individualized Exergame-based Motor-Cognitive Training Concept for Older Adults with Mild Neurocognitive Disorder, 2023
- Oral presenter of own accepted abstract, International Society of Gait & Posture Research (ISPGR) – World Congress 2023, Rethinking the Development of Technology-Based Interventions for Secondary Prevention of Cognitive Impairment (a part of the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition), 2023
- Oral presenter of own accepted abstract, Mobility and Exercise (MobEx) conference 2022, Exergaming for Older Adults with mild Neurocognitive Disorder, 2022
- Poster presenter of own accepted abstract, Synapsis Forum 2022 – Scientific exchange for researchers investigating Alzheimer’s disease and neurodegeneration, Feasibility, Usability and Acceptance of a Newly Developed Exergame-Based Training Concept for Older Adults with Mild Neurocognitive Disorder - A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, 2022
- Oral presenter of own accepted abstract, Synapsis Forum 2021 – Scientific exchange for researchers investigating Alzheimer’s disease and neurodegeneration, Making the Best out of IT: Design and Development of Exergames for Older Adults with mild Neurocognitive Disorder, 2021
- Oral presenter of own accepted abstract, Synapsis Forum 2020 – Scientific exchange for researchers investigating Alzheimer’s disease and neurodegeneration, Brain-IT, 2020
- Poster presenter of own accepted abstract, Synapsis Forum 2020 – Scientific exchange for researchers investigating Alzheimer’s disease and neurodegeneration, Brain-IT, 2020
