My research career is focused on geomicrobiology of subterranean rock environments, an interdisciplinary field of science that investigates the interactions of microorganisms with geological substrates. During my PhD thesis, granted with a PhD fellowship from the Portuguese Government (FCT), I pioneered the implementation of stone colonization experiments using multi-species phototrophic cultures for simulating competition and/or synergy among microorganisms under laboratory conditions. During my first postdoctoral fellowship awarded by FCT (2010-2014) at the CERENA Research Centre (University of Lisbon, Portugal), I grew my competency in microbe-mineral interactions, microbial dispersion and stone biodeterioration processes in subterranean environments, and was principal investigator (PI) of a research project funded by FCT. In 2014, I was granted a prestigious 2-year MARIE CURIE Intra-European Fellowship from the European Commission (EC) to address my research at the IRNAS-CSIC (Seville, Spain). I implemented novel approaches to blending classical microbiology, molecular biology, metagenomics, mineralogy and geochemistry in a holistic effort to understand microbial life and minerogenesis in volcanic caves from Canary (Spain), Easter (Chile) and Galapagos (Ecuador) Islands, leading to major breakthroughs on geomicrobiological interactions, paleoclimates and biosignatures preserved in the rock record. In 2016, I was successful in receiving a Juan de la Cierva-Incorporación fellowship from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) to continue my innovative research line into the geomicrobiology of subterranean environments at the IRNAS-CSIC. Owing to my internationally recognized expertise in the geomicrobiology of lava tubes, I was selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) to train ESA astronauts within the PANGAEAX programme, held in Lanzarote in November 2017. I designed and implemented a geomicrobiological sampling procedure valid for future missions to the Moon and Mars subsurface, and was responsible for the scientific training of ESA astronauts on how to collect microbiological samples and perform real-time DNA sequencing inside of lava tubes. Following delivery of a successful workshop, I was invited to organize the next ESA PANGAEA and CAVES training campaigns in 2018, 2019 and 2021. In 2019, I have taken up a role as a Associate researcher at the HERCULES Laboratory (University of Évora, Portugal), part of a highly competitive individual 6-year contract awarded by FCT (CEEC 2017 call), where I led the new research line in subsurface geomicrobiology. In 2020, I secured a Ramon y Cajal contract from the Spanish Government to conduct my research at the IRNAS-CSIC, where I founded and coordinate the "Geomicrobiology and Biogeochemistry" research group (BIOGEOCOM). In 2024 a secured a permanent position at the IRNAS-CSIC. In the course of my research career, I proved the ability to attract competitive research funds through (i) 11 research projects acting as PI and (ii) 6 highly competitive individual fellowships. In addition, I have consolidated experience in supervising students, with 4 PhD and 5 MSc completed theses. In recognition of my research achievements in the academic year 2017/2018, I was distinguished with a CSIC honorary mention in June 2018. My scientific track record comprises: > 85 articles in SCI journals; > 20 book-chapters and 6 non-SCI journals; h-index: 29 (Scopus), 34 (Google Scholar); > 120 contributions to international and national conferences and seminars (11 as invited speaker). Associate Editor of International Journal of Speleology (https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/ijs/editorialboard.html).