Ana Maria Rodrigues Pereira is a researcher at the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC-UC), in the “Gene and Stem Cell Therapy for the Brain” group. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology from Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra (2021) and a Master's degree in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology from the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra (2024). Her master's thesis, entitled "Engineering RNA-Targeting CRISPR/Cas13 for Allele-Specific ATXN3 Knockdown as a Novel Treatment for Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3", focused on the engineering and evaluation of CRISPR/Cas13d sequences for allele-specific silencing of the mutant ATXN3 gene as a potential therapeutic approach for Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3. Her technical expertise includes the design and evaluation of gene editing sequences, molecular cloning, western blot, qPCR, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, cell culture, and viral production. She has disseminated her work through multiple posters and oral communications at national and international meetings, including the Portuguese Society of Human Genetics, the Portuguese Society of Pharmacology, and the European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy Congress. Her research focuses on the development of gene-based therapeutic approaches for neurodegenerative disorders, with particular emphasis on Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3 (MJD/SCA3), exploring RNA-targeting CRISPR technologies and viral delivery systems for potential therapeutic applications.