A/Prof Michael Cole has an extensive background in the fields of biomechanics and neuroscience and specific expertise with high-technology systems used for the assessment of balance, mobility, and neuromuscular function in healthy and neurologically impaired populations. A/Prof Cole is a member of the Healthy Brain & Mind Research Centre and has completed several multi-disciplinary research projects that have aimed to evaluate the i) relationship between postural instability, gait disability and falls in people with Parkinson&rsquos disease or ii) safety and efficacy of invasive (e.g., DBS) and non-invasive (e.g., exercise) therapies for balance and gait disorders in healthy and neurologically impaired (PD, MS) cohorts.
A/Prof Cole has previously held a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Early Career Researcher Fellowship, which supported a program of research that employed innovative biomechanics techniques to examine the role of the trunk in maintaining dynamic postural stability and preventing falls in people with Parkinson's disease. Before commencing at the Australian Catholic University, A/Prof Cole spent 5 years at the Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation at the Queensland University of Technology, where he played an integral role in the gait and movement assessments conducted as part of two separate NHMRC-funded projects.
A/Prof Cole intentionally works with exceptional clinicians, who are not only prolific researchers, but also experts in the management of Parkinson's disease to ensure that the findings of his research are clinically relevant and easily translated to the improved care of people with Parkinson&rsquos disease. Additionally, he publishes in respected clinical journals and aligns himself with international societies that have a strong clinical membership committed to supporting rapid translation of research into practice. 
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles (Original Research)
Published Book Chapters
Michael has the following research interests: -
 
Biomechanics; Movement disorders; Injury prevention; Neuroscience
A/Prof Cole regularly reviews manuscripts for high-ranking journals, including Annals of Neurology, Movement Disorders, Parkinsonism & Related Disorders, Neurorehabilitation & Neural Repair, Journal of Biomechanics, PLoS One, Scientific Reports, Journal of Sports Sciences, and Journal of Neurological Sciences. Furthermore, he has served as an expert reviewer for grant applications submitted to both International and National funding bodies, including the United Kingdom's Medical Research Council, Parkinson's United Kingdom, the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, and the Australian Research Council. He has supervised 10 PhD students, 1 research Masters student and 5 research Honours students (4 Honours 1, 1 Honours 2A) to completion and currently supervises 8 PhD students.
Michael is currently a member of the Movement Disorders Society, Parkinson's Queensland Incorporated and the International (ISB) and Australia & New Zealand (ANZSB) Societies of Biomechanics.