Ricardo Mesquita

Ricardo works as a postdoctoral researcher at the Division of Clinical Physiology (Department of Laboratory Medicine) since January 2025. With a background in Sports Science and in Neuromuscular Physiology, Ricardo’s research focuses on understanding how motor circuits in the brain and spinal cord control our muscles, and in how we can use this knowledge to improve muscle control in health and disease.

Ricardo has an interest in human neurophysiology methods, including surface and intramuscular electromyographic signals, recordings of neuromuscular activity in response to magnetic and electrical stimulation, tendon vibration, as well as respiratory physiology methods.

Ricardo’s academic path has taken him through Portugal, the UK, Finland, Canada, Australia, and Sweden. He completed his undergraduate degree in Sports Science at Faculdade de Motricidade Humana in Portugal, pursued a master’s degree in Biology of Physical Activity at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland, and obtained his PhD focusing on motoneuron physiology from Edith Cowan University in Australia.

Ricardo also holds a research position at Neuroscience Research Australia, an adjunct lecturer position at Edith Cowan University (Australia), is a member of the council of the International Society of Electrophysiology & Kinesiology and contributes to an online platform for scientific dissemination in Sports Science (YLM SportScience).