Welcome to Dr Jaap van Netten as DFA Scientific Director

DFA welcomes Dr. Jaap van Netten, a human movement scientist from the Netherlands, to the team as Scientific Director. The Netherlands has led the world in industry-led next-generation diabetic foot disease research since the real beginnings of DFU research in the 1980s. In the 1990s, under the International Diabetes Federation, The Netherlands established an international DFU network to bring the world together to tackle diabetic foot disease: International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF).

One of the best and brightest Dutch researchers is Dr Jaap van Netten. Dr Jaap van Netten has led the publication of five IWGDF DFU guidelines, published 30+ manuscripts and presented 50+ conference papers on ‘intelligent monitoring systems for the diabetic foot’ in recent years; including investigating novel in-shoe plantar pressure systems, hyperspectral imaging, infrared imaging and other smart material technologies. This work has seen Dr van Netten recently attract over $1.5 million to investigate these technologies and become the youngest ever member of the five-person IWGDF Editorial Board.

Dr van Netten is uniquely placed to provide world-leading expertise, and a vast international network of world-leading DFU researchers. Next to his position as senior research fellow at the Queensland University of Technology, Van Netten is looking forward applying his skills in Australia, to further advance the research of DFA and to continue building a strong link between research and clinical practice in Australia. You can read Jaap’s full bio on our website