Bradley Launikonis

Dr. Bradley Launikonis serves as Professor and Head of the Muscle Research Laboratory at the University of Queensland's School of Biomedical Sciences, where he combines expertise in muscle physiology with innovative imaging techniques. His research focuses on excitation-contraction coupling and calcium regulation in skeletal muscle, particularly examining mechanisms that control calcium release during muscle activity and maintain calcium homeostasis in skeletal muscle fibers. Through his groundbreaking work on calcium movements within muscle fibers, he has significantly advanced understanding of muscle-based thermogenesis and malignant hyperthermia, while his laboratory investigates the roles of ion channels, pumps, and membrane lipid composition in skeletal muscle physiology using advanced imaging techniques to visualize muscle cell structures and calcium dynamics. Recently expanding his research to include human muscle fibers obtained through needle biopsies, he continues to advance understanding of ionic regulation in human muscle health, exercise, and disease states, while securing multiple research grants including Australian Research Council Discovery Projects focusing on calcium cycling and heat generation in skeletal muscle fibers. His work combines fundamental research with practical applications in understanding muscle diseases and exercise physiology, making significant contributions to both basic science and clinical applications in muscle physiology.