Dr. Ítala Marx is a distinguished scientist whose career bridges academia, industry, and international innovation ecosystems. With a robust academic background in nutrition and food science, complemented by diverse experience in the food industry, including team leadership, process optimisation, and market-oriented product innovation, she is recognised for her ability to advance scientific knowledge while translating it into impactful, sustainable applications. Her research is driven by the integration of cutting-edge technologies to promote health and sustainability, with expertise spanning: i) evaluation of the health-promoting potential of olive-derived products; ii) valorisation of agrifood biowastes and by-products; iii) optimisation of green extraction methods using novel techniques; iv) advanced chemical characterisation of bioactive compounds through chromatographic–spectrometric platforms and sensor technologies; v) assessment of the health-related properties of natural sources, including agrifood by-products; vi) development of upcycled ingredients for food preservation and fortification; vii) creation and pilot-scale optimisation of novel functional food prototypes; and viii) consumer sensory research, market acceptance studies, and economic feasibility analyses for innovative food products. Her scientific career has been marked by the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions. She is currently the Principal Investigator of Phenols4Health at the University of Córdoba, an EU-funded project awarded one of the highest scores in the Chemistry Panel, aiming to elucidate how phenolic compounds from extra virgin olive oil contribute to disease prevention. Her PhD research pioneered the development of phenolic-enriched olive oils with enhanced health benefits. Building upon this foundation, her European postdoctoral work has expanded into the identification, separation, and recovery phenolic compounds from olive oil wastes. Dr Marx’s innovative research has led to patent No. 20232005398106 filed during the PreVineGrape project. In the BLUE project, she developed an edible coating for fish preservation and created a phenolic-enriched fish burger using agrifood biowaste extracts. She led the EIT Food-funded business idea VIDA: Valorisation of Industrial olive-derived bioactive compounds for sustainable Applications. She is also the Scientific Advisor of Bliss Mana, a start-up dedicated to the development of innovative functional foods that support metabolic health. Her work has gained international recognition, including FAO Biotech Innovation Challenge selection, participation in the 74th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Chemistry, and shortlisting as a Scientific Consultant for the EFSA. She has conducted research in multiple countries, with placements at the Instituto de la Grasa (Spain), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (USA), and the University of Campinas (Brazil), as well as collaborations with Universitas Gadjah Mada (Indonesia). Dr Marx is the author of 28 peer-reviewed papers in high-impact journals and one book chapter (h-index 14). She has delivered dozens of oral communications at international scientific meetings, acted as keynote and invited speaker. Committed to science communication, she has contributed to MSCA-funded outreach events such as European Researchers’ Night and Science is Wonderful, and serves on organising committees including Pint of Science. Her editorial roles include Guest Editorship for Electrochem and Antioxidants. She has teaching experience in chemistry, biotechnology, and related disciplines, and has supervised and mentored master’s and doctoral students. Her excellence in research has been recognised with awards, including Best Poster and Food Chemistry Young Researcher. Beyond academia, Dr Marx advises agrifood start-ups, mentors entrepreneurs, serves as a judge for innovation competitions, and acts as an expert evaluator for EU-funded research proposals.