Rebecca Willcocks has a broad background in exercise physiology, with specific training in pediatrics and the implementation of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS) techniques in the musculoskeletal system. During her training at the University of Exeter, she utilized MRS technology to investigate muscle metabolism and oxygenation during exercise, fatigue, and recovery. Since joining the University of Florida in 2011, she has been a part of the ImagingNMD project and utilized her expertise to validate MR biomarkers for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Dr. Willcocks has personally collected MR data in well over 100 children with DMD, published several manuscripts as first author on MR imaging of disease progression in DMD, and was a lead investigator on an Italfarmaco clinical trial in patients with Becker Muscular Dystrophy. Dr. Willcocks recent work describes the strong predictive relationship between MR biomarkers and loss of ambulation in DMD, paving the way for the potential development of these biomarkers as surrogate outcomes. Within the ImagingNMD group’s work with clinical trials, Dr. Willcocks serves as a Data Manager and is in charge of developing and training manual analysis techniques. She plays a critical role in Quality Assurance and the development of methods to ensure high quality data and blinded analysis.
