Diana Barros concluded her PhD in Molecular and Environmental Biology (specialization in Evolution, Biodiversity and Ecology) in 2019 at the Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), University of Minho, Braga. Before that she has done a Graduation in Applied Biology (2007) and a Master in Molecular Genetics (2011) at the same University. During the graduation internship she had the opportunity to apply basic microbiology techniques, more specifically the isolation, culture and maintenance of aquatic fungi. The internship also allowed her to gain experience in collecting and processing samples to assess fungal activity in freshwater ecosystems, namely the evaluation of functional parameters such as leaf litter decomposition, reproduction and growth of aquatic fungi. During her master she acquired knowledge on the manipulation of pathogenic fungi in level 2 and 3 biosafety laboratories, molecular and microscopy techniques and some skills in the use of bioinformatic tools with the aim of developing molecular tools for post-transcriptional gene silencing. Her PhD, within the scope of NANOECOTOX (PTDC/AAC-AMB/121650/2010) and EMERGEMIX (PTDC/BIA-BMA/30922/2017) FCT-funded projects, involved assessing the effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on microbial decomposers (fungi and bacteria) from non-polluted and polluted streams. This was achieved by characterizing key transcript and protein signatures and by examining changes in transcript and protein expression promoted by exposure to AgNPs. Diana has attended several scientific workshops and was awarded with 1 scholarship to attend the XIX National Congress of Biochemistry (SPB2016). She published 6 articles (5 as first author) in international journals of the specialty (in Q1), presented 11 communications at international conferences (5 oral communications and 6 posters) and participated in research projects as a team member (BIOTEST, POCI/MAR/56964/2004 in 2007; Unraveling the specific involvement of the small Rho-like GTPase Cdc42 in the highly polymorphic nature of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis yeast cells, PTDC/BIA-MIC/108309/2008 from 2008-2010). Diana was also a team member of AQUAFIRE (PTDC/CTA-AMB/28936/2017) FCT-funded project which aimed to estimate the risks posed by wildfires to aquatic ecosystems and human health, and a Junior Researcher at CBMA involved in the STREAMECO (PTDC/CTA-AMB/31245/2017) FCT-funded project which goal was to predict how biodiversity, ecosystem functions and services respond to multiple stressors related to climate change (warming, drought and nutrient enrichment) in stream ecosystems. Diana developed research on antioxidant enzymatic activities, microbial decomposers (aquatic fungi and bacteria), leaf litter decomposition on aquatic ecosystems, molecular tools to assess microbial decomposers and impacts of phenanthrene and silver nanoparticles in freshwater ecosystems. Present research interests focus on targeting and assessing the impacts of global change on biodiversity and the functioning of aquatic ecosystems. Diana has also been involved in outreach and science dissemination activities for enhancing scientific literacy among young people (e.g., Ciência Andante and Verão no Campus projects). Parallelly, from 2009 till nowadays, Diana has been collaborating as an invited Assistant Professor at the School of Nursing at the University of Minho and since 2024 at the School of Sciences at the same University.