Health & Rehabilitation Clinics

Dr Polyana Moura Ferreira

Senior Research Assistant
School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
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Researcher biography

Polyana's career began with a Dentistry (Honours) degree, which laid the foundation for her clinical expertise. She went on to complete a PhD investigating the correlation between muscle activity and orofacial pain, advancing knowledge at the intersection of dentistry, physiology, and pain management.

Currently, Polyana is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the General Practice Clinical Unit at the University of Queensland Medical School (GPCU). In this role, she supports the implementation of the RELEASE (Redressing long-term antidepressant use) intervention, which has been designed to support people to safely stop antidepressants. https://medical-school.uq.edu.au/release

Originally from Brazil, Polyana is deeply passionate about creative, people‑centred research. She is passionate with improving mental health care and making health services more empathetic, inclusive, and effective.

In addition to her fellowship, she also serves as a Senior Research Assistant at the University of Queensland's Clinical Trials Capability (ULTRA), located within the Centre for Clinical Research in Herston, where she contributes to integrate innovative qualitative methodologies with clinical trials, helping to bridge research and practice.

Publications

Journal Articles (6)

Journal Articles

Mojaver, Yalda Nozad, Tawadros, Paul, Ferreira, Polyana Moura, Whittle, Terry and Murray, Greg M. (2021). Threshold variations of medial pterygoid single motor units during vertical or horizontal force tasks. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, 48 (12), 1314-1326. doi: 10.1111/joor.13257
Ferreira, Polyana Moura, Sandoval, Isbel, Whittle, Terry, Mojaver, YaIda and Murray, Greg M. (2021). Thresholds, firing rates, and order of recruitment of anterior temporalis muscle single-motor units during experimental masseter muscle pain. Journal of Oral and Facial Pain and Headache, 35 (2), 93-104. doi: 10.11607/ofph.2719
Ferreira, Polyana Moura, Sandoval, Isbel, Whittle, Terry, Mojaver, Yalda Nozad and Murray, Greg M. (2020). Reorganization of masseter and temporalis muscle single motor unit activity during experimental masseter muscle pain. Journal of Oral and Facial Pain and Headache, 34 (1), 40-52. doi: 10.11607/ofph.2426
Mojaver, Yalda Nozad, Tawadros, Paul B., Ferreira, Polyana Moura, Whittle, Terry and Murray, Greg M. (2019). Single motor units from the medial pterygoid muscle can be active during isometric horizontal and vertical forces. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, 46 (11), 998-1008. doi: 10.1111/joor.12831
Sandoval, Isbel, Ferreira, Polyana Moura, Obregon, Fabian, Whittle, Terry and Murray, Greg M. (2018). Experimental noxious stimulation of the right masseter muscle does not affect bilateral masseter and temporalis muscle activity and force parameters during standardised isometric biting tasks. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, 45 (11), 871-880. doi: 10.1111/joor.12699
Ferreira, Polyana Moura, Azevedo Souto, Silvia Helena, Dutra Borges, Boniek Castillo, de Assuncao, Isauremi Vieira and Alves da Costa, Giovanna de Fatima (2015). Impact of a novel polishing method on the surface roughness and micromorphology of nanofilled and microhybrid composite resins. Revista Portuguesa De Estomatologia Medicina Dentaria E Cirurgia Maxilofacial, 56 (1), 18-24. doi: 10.1016/j.rpemd.2015.01.002