Catharina's research aims to further the understanding of the neural signatures of movement execution and movement imagination to facilitate human motor plasticity.

Catharina's key research method is mobile and high-density electroencephalography (EEG), but she also uses magnetoencephalography (MEG), magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy (f/MRI, fNIRS), and simultaneous EEG-fMRI and EEG-fNIRS recordings. Moreover, she has applied EEG-based neurofeedback, fMRI-based neurofeedback, and non-invasive brain stimulation (tDCS) to modulate neural activity. 

Catharina leads the MEG work within the Stagg Group.