Diogo Leal holds a BSc in Sport Sciences and PE and an MSc in the same topic. He then obtained a PhD in Exercise Physiology and Immunology at the University of Bedfordshire in the UK, which has examined the effects of excessive exercise with limited recovery in endocrine pathways and inflammatory and immune mechanisms and function, which led him to being awarded one internal grant and an award for student research excellence. Whilst in the UK, Diogo's teaching background focused on laboratory techniques in Exercise Physiology. He then moved onto a full lectureship in Exercise Physiology at the same university, where he was the Unit Coordinator for Laboratory Practicals in Exercise Physiology and Unit Leader in Exercise Testing and Diagnosis. During his time in the UK, he worked as an Exercise Physiologist within the Human Performance Centre at the University of Bedfordshire, having worked with professional elite MMA fighters, cyclists, football players and ironman athletes and triathletes, one of which moved on to be an ironman world champion. Diogo is currently a research fellow at the Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development at the University of Maia (CIDESD-UMAIA) in Portugal, and his research focuses on the effects of exercise in inflammation, and the bone and muscle crosstalk in Chronic Kidney Disease. Diogo is still interested in understanding endocrine and immune pathways that may elicit a detrimental physical performance in athletes.