1983-1999: Research Fellow at the National Research Centre, Milan, Italy

1994-1996: Maître d’Enseignement et de Recherche, Centre Medical Universitaire, University of Geneva, Switzerland.

1999: Full Professor in Physiology of Ageing, Institute for Biophysical and Clinical Research into Human Movement, Manchester Metropolitan University

2011- 2012: Director of the Institute for Biomedical Research into Human Movement and Health (IRM), Manchester Metropolitan University

2012-2017: Professor and Head of Division of Clinical Physiology, School of Graduate Entry to Medicine and Health, University of Nottingham

2017 - present: Professor of Physiology, appointed through the ‘Brain Gain Project’ of the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR), University of Padua, Italy

My present work and research interests are focused on the mechanisms of remodeling of human neuromuscular system with exercise, inactivity (including spaceflight) and ageing. I am presently coordinating the NeuAge PRIN Project funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR) focusing on the Mechanisms of Neuromuscular Ageing and its Functional Implications, and I am coordinator of Italian Space Agency (ASI) project, MARS-PRE, focusing on the identification of early biomarkers of pathophysiological alterations of different organs and systems to simulated microgravity.

1993-1997: Project manager of NASA experiment "The effects of Microgravity on Skeletal Muscle Contractile Properties", Spacelab mission STS-78.

1998-2000: Chairman European Space Agency (ESA) Skeletal Muscle Topical Team

2005: Member of ESA "Artificial Gravity Topical Team”

2007-2012: Member of ESA Life Sciences Peer Review Board

2008: Member of European Science Foundation microgravity review panel

2013- 2015: President of the European College of Sport Science (ECSS)

2018 - present: Director of Myology Centre MyoCIR of the University of Padova

2020 - present: Coordinator of Italian Space Agency Integrated Physiology Board for the definition of the National Space Research Roadmap

Selected publications from 256 ISI-cited articles (H-index: 69, 16228 citations, Scopus)

1) Franchi MV, Badiali F, Sarto F, Müller P, Müller NG, Rehfeld K, Monti E, Rankin D, Longo S, Lund J, Hökelmann A, Narici M. Neuromuscular Aging: A Case for the Neuroprotective Effects of Dancing. Gerontology. 2022 May 23:1-9. doi:10.1159/000524843. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35605581.

2) Tamma G, Di Mise A, Ranieri M, Centrone M, Venneri M, D'Agostino M, Ferrulli A, Šimunič B, Narici M, Pisot R, Valenti G. Early Biomarkers of Altered Renal Function and Orthostatic Intolerance During 10-day Bedrest. Front Physiol. 2022 Apr 20;13:858867. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2022.858867. PMID: 35514354; PMCID: PMC9065601.

3) Pratt J, De Vito G, Segurado R, Pessanha L, Dolan J, Narici M, Boreham C. Plasma neurofilament light levels associate with muscle mass and strength in middle-aged and older adults: findings from GenoFit. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2022 Apr 13. doi: 10.1002/jcsm.12979. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35415973.

4) Zuccarelli L, Baldassarre G, Magnesa B, Degano C, Comelli M, Gasparini M, Manferdelli G, Marzorati M, Mavelli I, Pilotto A, Porcelli S, Rasica L, Šimunič B, Pišot R, Narici M, Grassi B. Peripheral impairments of oxidative metabolism after a 10-day bed rest are upstream of mitochondrial respiration. J Physiol. 2021 Nov;599(21):4813-4829.

5) Monti E, Waldvogel J, Ritzmann R, Freyler K, Albracht K, Helm M, De Cesare N, Pavan P, Reggiani C, Gollhofer A, Narici MV. Muscle in Variable Gravity: "I Do Not Know Where I Am, But I Know What to Do". Front Physiol. 2021 Aug 4;12:714655. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2021.714655.

6) Narici M, McPhee J, Conte M, Franchi MV, Mitchell K, Tagliaferri S, Monti E, Marcolin G, Atherton PJ, Smith K, Phillips B, Lund J, Franceschi C, Maggio M, Butler-Browne GS. Age-related alterations in muscle architecture are a signature of sarcopenia: the ultrasound sarcopenia index. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2021 Jun 1. doi: 10.1002/jcsm.12720. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34060717.

7) Pratt J, De Vito G, Narici M, Segurado R, Pessanha L, Dolan J, Conroy J, Boreham C. Plasma C-Terminal Agrin Fragment as an Early Biomarker for Sarcopenia: Results from the Genofit Study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2021 May 16:glab139. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glab139. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33993303.

8) Monti E, Reggiani C, Franchi MV, Toniolo L, Sandri M, Armani A, Zampieri S, Giacomello E, Sarto F, Sirago G, Murgia M, Nogara L, Marcucci L, Ciciliot S, Šimunic B, Pišot R, Narici MV. Neuromuscular junction instability and altered intracellular calcium handling as early determinants of force loss during unloading in humans. J Physiol. 2021 Apr 21.

9) Waldvogel J, Ritzmann R, Freyler K, Helm M, Monti E, Albracht K, Stäudle B, Gollhofer A, Narici M. The Anticipation of Gravity in Human Ballistic Movement. Front Physiol. 2021 Mar 17;12:614060. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2021.614060. PMID:

10) Sarto F, Spörri J, Fitze DP, Quinlan JI, Narici MV, Franchi MV. Implementing Ultrasound Imaging for the Assessment of Muscle and Tendon Properties in Elite Sports: Practical Aspects, Methodological Considerations and Future Directions. Sports Med. 2021 Mar 8. doi: 10.1007/s40279-021-01436-7. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33683628.

11) Gumpenberger M, Wessner B, Graf A, Narici MV, Fink C, Braun S, Hoser C, Blazevich AJ, Csapo R. Remodeling the Skeletal Muscle Extracellular Matrix in Older Age-Effects of Acute Exercise Stimuli on Gene Expression. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Sep 25;21(19):E7089.

12) Monti E, Toniolo L, Marcucci L, Bondì M, Martellato I, Šimunič B, Toninello P, Franchi MV, Narici MV, Reggiani C. Are muscle fibres of body builders intrinsically weaker? A comparison with single fibres of aged-matched controls. Acta Physiol (Oxf). 2020 Sep 13:e13557.

13) Vezzoli A, Mrakic-Sposta S, Montorsi M, Porcelli S, Vago P, Cereda F, Longo S, Maggio M, Narici M. Moderate Intensity Resistive Training Reduces Oxidative Stress and Improves Muscle Mass and Function in Older Individuals. Antioxidants (Basel). 2019 Sep 26;8(10).

14) Quinlan JI, Maganaris CN, Franchi MV, Smith K, Atherton PJ, Szewczyk NJ, Greenhaff PL, Phillips BE, Blackwell JI, Boereboom C, Williams JP, Lund J, Narici MV. Muscle and Tendon Contributions to Reduced Rate of Torque Development in Healthy Older Males. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2018 Mar 14;73(4):539-545.

15) Barnouin Y, McPhee JS, Butler-Browne G, Bosutti A, De Vito G, Jones DA, Narici M, Behin A, Hogrel JY, Degens H. Coupling between skeletal muscle fiber size and capillarization is maintained during healthy aging. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2017 Apr 5. doi: 10.1002/jcsm.12194. [Epub ahead of print]

16) Biolo G, Pišot R, Mazzucco S, Di Girolamo FG, Situlin R, Lazzer S, Grassi B, Reggiani C, Passaro A, Rittweger J, Gasparini M, Šimunič B, Narici M. Anabolic resistance assessed by oral stable isotope ingestion following bed rest in young and older adult volunteers: Relationships with changes in muscle mass. Clin Nutr. 2016 Sep 30. pii: S0261-5614(16)31259-6.

17) Pisot R, Marusic U, Biolo G, Mazzucco S, Lazzer S, Grassi B, Reggiani C, Toniolo L, di Prampero PE, Passaro A, Narici MV, Mohammed S, Rittweger J, Gasparini M, Gabrijelčič M, Simunic B. Greater loss in muscle mass and function but smaller metabolic alterations in older compared to younger men following two weeks of bed rest and recovery. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2016 Jan 28:jap.00858.2015.

18) Beltran Valls MR, Wilkinson DJ, Narici MV, Smith K, Phillips BE, Caporossi D, Atherton PJ. Protein Carbonylation and Heat Shock Proteins in Human Skeletal Muscle: Relationships to Age and Sarcopenia. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2014 [Epub ahead of print]

19) Franchi MV, Atherton PJ, Reeves ND, Flück M, Williams J, Mitchell WK, Selby A, Beltran Valls RM, Narici MV. Architectural, functional and molecular responses to concentric and eccentric loading in human skeletal muscle. Acta Physiol (Oxf). 2014 Mar;210(3):642-54.

20) Agostini F, Dalla Libera L, Rittweger J, Mazzucco S, Jurdana M, Mekjavic IB, Pisot R, Gorza L, Narici M, Biolo G. Effects of inactivity on human muscle glutathione synthesis by a double-tracer and single-biopsy approach. J Physiol. 2010;588(Pt 24):5089-104.

21) Atkinson RA, Srinivas-Shankar U, Roberts SA, Connolly MJ, Adams JE, Oldham JA, Wu FC, Seynnes OR, Stewart CE, Maganaris CN, Narici MV. Effects of Testosterone on Skeletal Muscle Architecture in Intermediate-Frail and Frail Elderly Men. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2010 Nov;65(11):1215-9.

22) Seynnes OR, Maffiuletti NA, Horstman AM, Narici MV. Increased H-reflex excitability is not accompanied by changes in neural drive following 24 days of unilateral lower limb suspension. Muscle Nerve. 2010 Nov;42(5):749-55.

23) Biolo G, Agostini F, Simunic B, Sturma M, Torelli L, Preiser JC, Deby-Dupont G, Magni P, Strollo F, di Prampero P, Guarnieri G, Mekjavic IB, Pisot R, Narici MV. Positive energy balance is associated with accelerated muscle atrophy and increased erythrocyte glutathione turnover during 5 wk of bed rest. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Oct;88(4):950-8.

24) Seynnes OR, Maffiuletti NA, Maganaris CN, de Boer MD, Pensini M, di Prampero PE, Narici MV. Soleus T reflex modulation in response to spinal and tendinous adaptations to unilateral lower limb suspension in humans. Acta Physiol (Oxf). 2008 Nov;194(3):239-51.

25) Seynnes OR, Maganaris CN, de Boer MD, di Prampero PE, Narici MV. Early structural adaptations to unloading in the human calf muscles. Acta Physiol (Oxf). 2008 Jul;193(3):265-74.

26) Seynnes OR, de Boer M & Narici MV. (2007). Early skeletal muscle hypertrophy and architectural changes in response to high-intensity resistance training. J Appl Physiol 102, 368-373.

27) Mian OS, Thom JM, Ardigo LP, Minetti AE & Narici MV. (2007). Gastrocnemius muscle-tendon behaviour during walking in young and older adults. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 189, 57-65.

28) de Boer MD, Selby A, Atherton P, Smith K, Seynnes OR, Maganaris CN, Maffulli N, Movin T, Narici MV & Rennie MJ. (2007). The temporal responses of protein synthesis, gene expression and cell signalling in human quadriceps muscle and patellar tendon to disuse. J Physiol 585, 241-251.

29) de Boer MD, Maganaris CN, Seynnes OR, Rennie MJ & Narici MV. (2007). Time course of muscular, neural and tendinous adaptations to 23 day unilateral lower-limb suspension in young men. J Physiol 583, 1079-1091.

30) Thom JM, Morse CI, Birch KM & Narici MV. (2005). Triceps surae muscle power, volume, and quality in older versus younger healthy men. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 60, 1111-1117.

31) Reeves ND, Maganaris CN, Ferretti G & Narici MV. (2005). Influence of 90-day simulated microgravity on human tendon mechanical properties and the effect of resistive countermeasures. J Appl Physiol 98, 2278-2286.

32) Scaglioni G, Narici MV, Maffiuletti NA, Pensini M & Martin A. (2003). Effect of ageing on the electrical and mechanical properties of human soleus motor units activated by the H reflex and M wave. J Physiol 548, 649-661.

33) Narici MV, Maganaris CN, Reeves ND & Capodaglio P. (2003). Effect of aging on human muscle architecture. J Appl Physiol 95, 2229-2234.

34) Scaglioni G, Ferri A, Minetti AE, Martin A, Van Hoecke J, Capodaglio P, Sartorio A & Narici MV. (2002). Plantar flexor activation capacity and H reflex in older adults: adaptations to strength training. J Appl Physiol 92, 2292-2302.

Member of the American Physiological Society

Member of editorial board of: Scandinavian Journal of Sport Medicine; BMC Physiology (BioMed Central); Muscles, Ligaments and Tendons Journal (MLTJ)

Reviewing editor for: Journal of Physiology (London); Journal of Applied Physiology (London); Proceedings of the Royal Society; Muscle and Nerve; Acta Physiologica Scandinavica; Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle; Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise; Journal of Experimental Biology; Neuroscience Letters; Pflügers Archiv; European Journal of Applied Physiology; Age and Ageing; Gait and Posture; Journal of Biomechanics; Archives in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

2013-2017: Principal Investigator (PI) of BBSRC project ‘Structural and metabolic determinants of sarcopenia and efficacy of concentric vs. eccentric exercise training: a novel temporo-spatial approach”: £GBP 590,087

2018-2022: Principal Investigator (PI) of Italian Space Agency (ASI) project MARS-PRE, 1.5 Million Euro

2019-2023: Principal Investigator (PI) of Italian Ministry of Education and Research -PRIN-Project “Neuromuscular ageing: mechanisms and functional implications (NeuAge)”, Funding: 816,000 Euro

2021-2025: Co-Investigator and local coordinator of Italian Ministry of Education and Research -PRIN-Project "Inactivity induced neuromuscular impairment through different ages: from children, to young and middle age adults (InactivAge)" - Funding: 215.094 Euro