Lucas Murrins Marques, MSc, PhD

Cognitive & Affective Neuroscientist

Research on cognitive–affective processes in socio-environmental contexts, integrating brain–behavior dynamics and digital phenotyping.

Meet Dr. Lucas

Cognitive & Affective Neuroscientist investigating how attention regulation, emotional appraisal, and adaptive decision-making emerge from interactions between affective experience, physiological signals, and socio-environmental context. Grounded in Social, Cognitive & Affective Neuroscience, my research integrates behavioral experimentation, EEG/ERSP analyses, psychophysiology, and voice/linguistic signal processing to identify cognitive markers of adaptation and well-being. I direct the Eco-Wellbeing and Affective Health Laboratory (EWAH Lab), where I train graduate and undergraduate researchers in cognitive neuroscience, data science, and experimental design.

My Mission

My mission is to advance mental health science by understanding how emotions, cognition, and wellbeing emerge from dynamic interactions between individuals and a rapidly changing environment — and to use this knowledge to strengthen resilience, guide climate adaptation, and inform public and planetary health. I envision a future in which wellbeing and affective oscillations are recognized and measured as the primary predictors of long-term mental health, shaping the way societies monitor, prevent, and respond to psychological vulnerability.

Through the (EWAH Lab), I integrate affective neuroscience, psychophysiology, digital phenotyping, environmental health, and complexity science to map emotional responses to environmental change, identify early-warning signals of resilience and risk, and translate this evidence into frameworks and tools that support communities, health systems, and global climate action.

Core research themes

• Cognitive & Affective Processes: attention, appraisal, regulation

• Social & Affective Neuroscience: emotional dynamics in social-environmental contexts

• Brain & Behavior Dynamics: oscillatory activity and temporal coordination

• Digital Cognitive Phenotyping: voice and language markers + machine learning

Methods & Capacity

• EEG

• fNIRS

• Psychophysiology

• Behavioral tasks

• Voice/Linguistic signal analysis

• Machine learning

• Python/MATLAB

• EWAH Lab: active graduate and undergraduate training environment

Key indicators

• 50+ peer-reviewed publications (including Nature Mental Health)

• 2 Springer Nature edited volumes in Social & Affective Neuroscience

• 9 funded research projects (PI/Co-PI)

• 23 supervised trainees (undergraduate and graduate levels)

Research topics

Eco-Affective Health

Understanding how emotions are shaped by environmental changes — and how our affective responses, in turn, shape environmental engagement, resilience, and wellbeing.

Well-being

Mapping affective oscillations and mood dynamics across diverse environments.

Biomarkers in Mental Health

Identifying physiological and digital markers that predict mental health outcomes

Sports Psychology

Exploring how training, physiology, and emotional regulation impact performance and wellbeing.

Geographic Information System (GIS)

Digital Health & Accessibility

Combining geospatial analysis and emotional health indicators to identify risk and resilience landscapes.

Leveraging mobile sensing, wearables, and AI to improve mental health accessibility and monitoring.

Experience

2025 - current - eLife Ambassador • eLife.

2024 - current - Head of Digital Health & Research • Infinity Doctors Inc.

2024 - current - Graduate Advisor • Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo

2024 - current - Graduate Advisor • Santa Casa de Sao Paulo School of Medical Sciences

2024 - current - Assistant Professor • Santa Casa de Sao Paulo School of Medical Sciences

2021 - 2024 - Researcher • Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (IMREA), Medical School (HCFMUSP) • University of Sao Paulo (USP)

2021 - Invited Professor • Specialization Course in Neuroscience Applied to Law and Human Behavior • Superior School of the Federal Magistracy

2019 - 2021 - Senior Researcher in Wellbeing Sciences • Innovation Directory • Natura & Co (cosmetic group)

2016 – 2020 - Invited Professor • Specialization Course in Neuroscience and Applied Psychology • Mackenzie Presbyterian University

2012 – 2013 - Researcher • Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory • University of Minho

2009 - 2019 - Researcher • Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory • Mackenzie Presbyterian University

Education

Postdoctoral in Neurophysiology (2024) - University of Sao Paulo (USP), Medical School - Sao Paulo/Brazil

Certification in Principles and Practice of Clinical Research (2023) - Harvard University, School of Public Health - Boston/USA

PhD in Social Neuroscience (2020) - Mackenzie Presbyterian University Sao Paulo/Brazil

Master in Affective Neuroscience (2016) - Mackenzie Presbyterian University - Sao Paulo/Brazil

Master in Basic Psychology (2013) - Minho University - Braga/Portugal

Bachelor in Psychology (2014) - Mackenzie Presbyterian University - Sao Paulo/Brazil

Advisor & Reviewer

Association Member

• Since 2025 – Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAll).

• Since 2025 – Planetary Health Alliance (PHA).

• Since 2025 – Climate Health Society.

COMMITTEE COORDINATOR

• 2022-2024 – Multidisciplinary Psychology committee of the Brazilian Society of Neuromodulation (SBNM).

ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER

• Since 2021 - Funding agency: Research Support Foundation of the State of São Paulo (FAPESP).

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER

• Since 2025 - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

• Since 2025 - Plos Mental Health

• Since 2023 - International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology (IJCHP)

• Since 2023 – Frontiers in Psychology

• Since 2023 – Frontiers in Cognition

REVIEWER

• Since 2018 - Journal of ECT

• Since 2020 - Revista Psicologia: Teoria e Prática

• Since 2021 - Frontiers in Human Neuroscience

• Since 2022 - Frontiers in Psychology

• Since 2022 - International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology

• Since 2022 - Cureus

• Since 2022 – Journal of Affective Disorders

• Since 2022 – Psychology of Sport & Exercise

• Since 2023 – Frontiers in Cognition

• Since 2023 – Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews

• Since 2022 – Journal of Affective Disorders reports

• Since 2023 – Social Neuroscience

• Since 2023 – Frontiers in Psychiatry

• Since 2023 – Frontiers in Neurology

• Since 2023 – Neuroscience Letters

• Since 2023 – Current Psychology

• Since 2024 – PlosOne

• Since 2025 – Plos Mental Health

• Since 2025 – Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology

• Since 2025 – Sports

Get in touch

Reach out to discuss research or collaborations.