Assistant Professor
Email: jmorag@ugr.es
Member of the PROFITH research group and Assistant Professor with teaching duties at the Faculty of Sports Sciences in Granada, Spain.
Jose Mora-Gonzalez (Pepe) graduated in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences from the University of Granada (2008-2013). In 2014 he obtained an FPU scholarship with which he completed a PhD in Physical Activity and Health, becoming Doctor at the University of Granada in 2019. In 2020 he obtained a 1-year postdoctoral contract at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (Charlotte, NC) under a project of the National Institute of Health. In 2021 he returned to Granada with a postdoctoral contract funded by Junta de Andalucía and finally, in 2022, he obtained a position as Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Sports Sciences from the University of Granada.
– Assessment of physical fitness
– Objective assessment of physical activity using accelerometry
– Effects of exercise on physical and mental health outcomes, as well as on cognition and brain.
– Effects of gamification teaching strategy on motivation and physical and mental health variables of university students.
– Teaching of Physical Education and the role of teachers.
Contribution: This study used, for the first time in the field of sports sciences and electroencephalography, a brain source location analysis of (sLORETA) to determine the effects of a physical exercise program (ActiveBrains project) on the brain current density in specific brain areas, as well as its influence on the executive function of overweight-obese children. Physical exercise increased neuroelectric activity of temporal and occipital areas during a working memory task.
Contribution: This is probably our biggest contribution in the field of exercise and brain health for the moment. This article reports on the effects of the ActiveBrains exercise program on the main study variables, showing that intelligence can be improved effectively through exercise during growth stages, among other important findings. This study lays the foundation for changes in school policies in physical education.
Contribution: Este estudio presenta un catálogo de más de 20 dispositivos (acelerómetros, podómetros…) y su rendimiento a la hora de contar pasos y cadencia de pasos a diferentes velocidades en todas las edades de la etapa adulta. Supone un documento útil y de referencia no solo para investigadores, sino también para entrenadores y profesionales del deporte y la salud. This study presents a catalogue of more than 20 devices (accelerometers, pedometers…) and their performance when counting steps and cadence of steps at different speeds, and at all ages of adulthood. It is a useful and reference document not only for researchers, but also for coaches and sports and health professionals.
Contribution: In this study we demonstrate that gamification is a methodological strategy in education with the capacity to improve body composition in university students. Specifically, this gamification project was based on the “STAR WARS” saga and encouraged the immersion and commitment of students to change their life habits and improve their body health.
Contribution: In this study we saw how physical activity was related to a higher level of plasma BDNF, while this relationship did not exist for VEGF or IGF. In addition, walking at a low rate could be sufficient stimulus to increase BDNF in overweight-obese children.
