I'm a Molecular Biologist, specializing in gene expression control and RNA metabolism across various organisms. During my academic journey, I've contributed with 38 articles in international journals- h-index 18, 1282 citations by 993 documents (Scopus, Jan2024). My commitment extends beyond research, to mentoring students and engaging in science outreach. I am a Biochemist with a Ph.D. in Biology (by ITQB-NOVA) that focused on microbial ribonucleases and small non-coding RNAs, in collaboration with CIB/CSIC (Madrid) and the Max-Planck Institute for Infectious Biology (Berlin). My collaborative spirit reflected through participation in various joint projects with esteemed researchers worldwide and contributing to pivotal joint publications. As a post-doc at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (UK), I delved into microbial ribonucleases and microRNAs in eukaryotes, broadening my expertise in this field. Afterwards, the partnering in two European Synthetic Biology projects fuelled my interest in using RNA tools for modifying biotechnologically relevant bacteria, bridging fundamental science and biotechnology. Noteworthy achievements include securing funding through competitive applications (Exploratory FCT Project, Investigator FCT Starting Grant, Early Career Research Award-ECRA Prize).