Sam Van Wassenbergh
Contact
Campus Drie Eiken
Since October 2020 I am a research professor (tenure track lecturer) at the Laboratory for Functional Morphology of the Department of Biology (faculty of Sciences) at the University of Antwerp. I am specialized in the analysis of the biomechanics and functional morphology of vertebrate animals. The study of the biomechanics and evolution of cranial musculoskeletal systems is the main theme of my research projects. I also coordinate the usage of our biplanar high-speed x-ray videography facility: the 3D2YMOX system.
After my PhD work on suction feeding in catfish at the same laboratory under supervision of prof. Peter Aerts and prof. Anthony Herrel, I continued working there as a postdoctoral researcher for the Flemish Fund of Scientific Research (FWO-Vl) from 2006 until September 2012. In this period, I integrated numerical modelling techniques for the study of fluid flow (computational fluid dynamics), and multi-body dynamics simulations into my research on the mechanics of suction feeding in fishes, snakes, and salamanders. Subsequently, until September 2015, I was a post-doc assistant at the University of Ghent in the Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates lab, where the evolution of form and function of muskuloskeletal systems of vertebrates is studied. There I got fascinated by the form and function of the head of birds for generating beak motions – a theme that I will dig into during my ongoing research. From July 2016 until 2019, I worked as a post-doc in the FUNEVOL research group at the Muséum National D'Histoire Naturelle in Paris to lead a research project on the function of intra-oral water flows during capturing and swallowing of food in fishes.
Department
Statute & functions
Zelfstandig academ.pers. BOF
- TT. asst. research professor