Ricardo Mesquita

Ricardo has started working as a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Electrical Engineering in January 2023. With a background in Sports Science and in Neuromuscular Physiology, Ricardo’s research focuses on motoneuron physiology – nerve cells in the spinal cord that transmit electrical signals to our muscles. Ricardo is interested in understanding how motoneurons control our muscles, and in how we can use this knowledge to improve muscle control in health and disease.

Ricardo’s work mainly involves decomposition of high-density surface electromyographic signals to study the behaviour of spinal motoneurons non-invasively. Ricardo has also been interested in recordings of neuromuscular activity in response to magnetic and electrical stimulation, tendon vibration, and 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 one of the largest online platforms for scientific dissemination in Sports Science (YLM SportScience).