About K. (Kirsty) Huininga, PhD
Introduction
My research examines skeletal fragility and how comorbidities in internal medicine affect bone health and fracture risk. With nursing experience in both primary and secondary care in the UK and the Netherlands, including military service, I offer a clinically informed perspective to translational research. I completed my MSc at Erasmus MC, where I studied nurse burnout and developed a strong interest in health systems. I am currently a postdoctoral researcher and co-coordinator of the SINTER study. My aim is to advance interdisciplinary methods to better identify, manage, and prevent fragility in complex patients.
Field(s) of expertise
Skeletal fragility and the influence of multimorbidity on bone health and fracture risk are central to this work. Clinical epidemiology is combined with translational approaches to understand how chronic diseases affect skeletal outcomes in complex patient populations. Observational cohorts and clinical data are used to study risk factors, mechanisms, and consequences of fragility fractures. Advanced musculoskeletal imaging—including DXA, EOS, and 3D-Shaper—assesses bone density, geometry, and structural features to improve prediction of fracture susceptibility.
Education and career
I hold a BSc in Adult Nursing and a Research Master’s in Health Sciences. My work is centered on improving patient care through research, and I am currently completing my PhD at Erasmus MC.
Publications
Use of DXA-derived 3D-modeling, as implemented by 3D-Shaper, for the assessment of fracture risk in a population-based setting. Use of DXA-derived 3D-modeling, as implemented by 3D-Shaper, for the assessment of fracture risk in a population-based setting | Journal of Bone and Mineral Research | Oxford Academic
Teaching activities
TA for Topics in Medical Decision Making
Other positions
PhD Internal Medicine Board Member
