Sofia Cunha is a biochemist and microbiologist with a PhD in Biochemistry (specialization in Microbiology) from the University of Coimbra, Portugal. She holds a BSc in Biology from the University of Aveiro and an MSc in Animal Biology from the University of Coimbra. Her doctoral research, conducted at the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC-UC) within the Microbiology of Extreme Environments Group, focused on microbial adaptation to extreme environments, particularly on the biosynthesis and accumulation of compatible solutes in members of the phylum Planctomycetes. This work contributed to the characterization of uncommon biosynthetic enzymes involved in stress adaptation mechanisms and resulted in several peer-reviewed publications. Throughout her career she has developed multidisciplinary expertise spanning microbiology, biochemistry, molecular biology and analytical chemistry. During her experience in the pharmaceutical industry at Bluepharma (Coimbra), she worked in analytical development and quality control, contributing to the development of innovative drug delivery technologies such as orodispersible films and to the validation of analytical methods using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), while ensuring compliance with GMP and GLP standards. She later joined MARE – Polytechnic of Leiria as a postdoctoral researcher within the INTERREG ALBUFEIRA project, a cross-border initiative focused on ecological monitoring of water bodies in Iberian river basins. Her work contributed to the harmonization of environmental monitoring methodologies aligned with the objectives of the European Water Framework Directive. During this period she also served as a trainer at the Marefoz Laboratory, contributing to the Marefoz 1.1 training program for researchers and students. Sofia Cunha has authored five peer-reviewed publications, several as first author, and has presented her research at international scientific conferences. She has also participated in science outreach initiatives such as the European Researchers’ Night and contributes to sustainable research practices as a member of the GreenKeeper team at GreenLabs CiBB. She is currently Lab Manager at the Body Barrier Immunometabolism Laboratory (BBI Lab) at CNC-UC, where she oversees laboratory operations, supports the implementation and management of research projects, mentors students and contributes to scientific dissemination activities. She is a member of the research teams of the FCT-funded project Epi_UNCOV (2022.06145.PTDC) and the Kinder-GUT project (HR22-00754), which investigate how micronutrients regulate unconventional T cells and their role in epithelial defence and disease, with particular focus on retinoic acid signalling pathways and their impact on immune regulation.