I'm currently a MSc student in Cellular and Molecular Biology at University of Coimbra. I did a Project in Applied Biology, entitled "Unravelling how diet-derived retinoid signals regulate invariant natural killer T cell development" under the supervision of Dr. Manuela Ferreira at UC-Biotech (Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra). To go beyond the knowledge of the curricular units and in order to acquire laboratory experience I actively invested in finding volunteer internships. Thus, I first had the opportunity to perform experimental work in the laboratory led by Dr. Carlos B. Duarte in the area of Neurosciences, as well as in the area of Immunology, namely in the Immunometabolism of Body Barriers group led by Dr. Manuela Ferreira. In 2021, I won a grant funded by FCT for undergraduate students, "Verão com Ciência". During my Bachelor degree I was actively involved in academic associativism as I was Coordinating the Pedagogy Department of the Biology Students Association of Coimbra, and I was the Treasurer of the National Association of Biology Students. In 2021, I was part of the Scientific Department of the Organizing Committee of the XXIII National Meeting of Biology Students. In 2022 I had the privilege to participate in ITQB NOVA SummerScience, for which I was selected and where (during 1 week) I did laboratory work in the Bacterial Cell Biology Group (ITQB NOVA) under the supervision of Dr. Patricia Reed, PhD.