2017-2019 Research Fellow in skeletal muscle physiology and plasticity, 1 Laboratory for Muscle Plasticity and 2 Sports Medicine Research group, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Switzerland.

2013-2017 Postdoctoral Fellow in skeletal muscle physiology, Clinical, Metabolic and Molecular Physiology group, MRC-ARUK Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing, University of Nottingham, UK.

2014 PhD in skeletal muscle physiology, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK.

2010 Masters Science by Research (MRes) in skeletal muscle physiology, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK.

2008 Specialisation degree (MSc) (110/110 cum laude) in Theory of adapted and preventive motor activities, UCSC Milano, Italy

2006 Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Exercise and Sports Science, UCSC Milano, Italy

Interested in skeletal muscle plasticity in loading, disuse, exercise, and ageing.

Editorial Board Fellow, of “The Journal of Physiology” (2022-2024)

Acta Physiologica Award 2020 Finalist (top 20 articles) for the article Franchi et al. Acta Physiol 2018 “Regional regulation of focal adhesion kinase after concentric and eccentric loading is related to remodeling of human skeletal muscle”.

European College of Sports Science Fellow (FECSS, 2017-present), supporting the goals of the ECSS by distinguished activities. Fellows of ECSS have made a significant contribution to the development of sports science through research

Franchi MV, Atherton PJ, Reeves ND, Flück M, Williams J, Mitchell WK, Selby A, Beltran Valls RM, Narici M V. Architectural, functional and molecular responses to concentric and eccentric loading in human skeletal muscle. Acta Physiol. (2014). doi: 10.1111/apha.12225.

*Franchi MV, Ruoss S, Valdivieso P, Mitchell KW, Smith K, Atherton PJ, Narici MV, Flück M. Regional regulation of focal adhesion kinase after concentric and eccentric loading is related to remodelling of human skeletal muscle. Acta Physiol. (2018). doi: 10.1111/apha.13056.
*(selected in the top 20 articles of Acta Physiologica for the Acta Physiologica Award 2020).

Franchi MV., Fitze DP, Raiteri BJ, Hahn D, Spörri J. Ultrasound-derived Biceps Femoris Long Head Fascicle Length: Extrapolation Pitfalls. Med Sci Sport Exerc 52: 233–243, 2020.

Franchi MV., Longo S, Mallinson J, Quinlan JI, Taylor T, Greenhaff PL, Narici M V. Muscle thickness correlates to muscle cross-sectional area in the assessment of strength training-induced hypertrophy. Scand J Med Sci Sport 28: 846–853, 2018.

Pincheira PA, Boswell MA, Franchi M V., Delp SL, Lichtwark GA. Biceps femoris long head sarcomere and fascicle length adaptations after three weeks of eccentric exercise training. J. Sport Heal. Sci. 2021. doi: 10.1016/J.JSHS.2021.09.002.

Franchi MV, Reeves ND, Narici MV. Skeletal muscle remodeling in response to eccentric vs. concentric loading: Morphological, molecular, and metabolic adaptations. Front Physiol 8, 2017.

Sarto F, Spörri J, Fitze DP, Quinlan JI, Narici M V, Franchi MV. Implementing Ultrasound Imaging for the Assessment of Muscle and Tendon Properties in Elite Sports : Practical Aspects , Methodological Considerations and Future Directions. Sport. Med. (2021). doi: 10.1007/s40279-021-01436-7.

2021 – PRIN2020 (Research Projects of National Interest, Italy) – 678’305 Euros (Co-Investigator and Unit Head) (The only Under40 project funded in LS5 sector)
“Neuromuscular impairment in aging: a longitudinal study of structural and functional mechanistic bases of age-related alterations”

2019 – Balgrist Foundation (Balgrist Stiftung, Zurich, CH) – 240’000 CHF (single Co-Investigator).
“Application of ultrasound and shear wave elastography to quantify morphological and mechanical properties of muscles and tendons: new opportunities for addressing unmet clinical needs in sports medicine.”

2020 – University of Padova – Department of Biomedical Sciences, Interdipartmental Grant – 25’179 Euros (Principal Investigator)