Maria completed a degree in Biology (2009), a master’s in Biomedical Sciences (2012), and a PhD in Earth, Marine and Environmental Sciences with a focus on Biotechnology (2019), all at UAlg. Her doctoral research, “Unravelling the Biotechnological Potential of Halophyte Species from the Algarve Coast,” established a solid foundation for her career in marine and environmental biotechnology, emphasising the sustainable use of natural resources and the biotechnological potential of coastal plant species. In 2018, Maria co-founded the XtremeBio research group at CCMAR, where she has since contributed to the development of innovative applications for salt-tolerant plants, including bioactive compound discovery, saline agriculture and plant-based bioremediation. Her work in XtremeBio involves designing experimental workflows, implementing analytical and metabolomic pipelines and supervising junior researchers engaged in laboratory, greenhouse and field activities. Her participation in 13 R&D projects—3 as contracted researcher or technician, 1 as coordinator and PI, and the remainder as research team member—together with involvement in 4 COST Actions, demonstrates her strong integration in collaborative research focused on plant biotechnology, saline systems and sustainable environmental solutions. Since 2022, Maria has been a Junior Researcher under the FCT Contract Programme, where she leads the Halo-In project. In this role, she develops in vitro propagation and cryopreservation methodologies, coordinates laboratory activities and mentors early-career researchers, contributing to the conservation and valorisation of coastal salt-tolerant plants. She also coordinates the WeTreat project (Water4All/0011/2023), leading efforts to design wetland-based nature-based solutions for removing micropollutants from wastewater. Her responsibilities include overall consortium coordination, microcosm experimental design, supervision of analytical and physiological assessments and interaction with industrial and municipal stakeholders to reinforce applicability and scalability of plant-based remediation strategies. These roles reflect her growing leadership in European initiatives addressing emerging contaminants, ecological resilience and the development of sustainable water treatment technologies. Teaching and capacity building form an important part of Maria’s scientific activity. Since 2021, she has served as Invited Assistant Professor in the IMBRSea international master’s programme, where she teaches “Sustainable Bioprospecting of Natural Products,” integrating concepts of bioactivity, sustainable sourcing and industrial applications. She has supervised 32 master’s, bachelor and internship students, including 3 PhD-level short stays, and provided mentoring to 5 doctoral candidates and one early-career researcher, supporting their development in experimental design, data interpretation, analytical methods and scientific writing. Maria’s contributions extend to editorial and peer-review activities. She has served as guest editor for Marine Drugs, Plants and Applied Sciences, and reviews manuscripts for high-impact journals in natural products chemistry, plant biotechnology and environmental sciences. Her work is widely disseminated through over 108 peer-reviewed publications, 66 conference presentations (19 oral, including 1 invited, and 47 poster), workshops and science communication events, reinforcing her commitment to knowledge transfer and to promoting the societal relevance of sustainable biotechnology. She has also undertaken international research stays in Sweden, Tunisia, Egypt, Israel, Madagascar, France and Brazil, where she engaged in mission-based collaborations supporting work in saline agriculture, plant biotechnology and bioremediation. These experiences further strengthened her international profile and contributed to the development of multidisciplinary approaches to environmental biotechnology.