I am a researcher of the Tumour and Microenvironment Interactions group, leading the Iron Metabolism and Oncobiology research line, at the Institute for Research & Innovation in Health (i3S). My scientific career started in 2004, at the Malaria immunology-CNRS-IGC European Lab where I concluded my Biology BSc thesis on T cell proliferation and co-authored my 1st publication on the role of Treg cells in cerebral malaria. Then, in 2006, I moved to the Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology Lab at the AMC, acquiring expertise in pre-clinical mouse models and the FELASA C certificate - Utrecht University. In 2007, I joined the Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology (University of Porto), where I obtained my PhD degree in Biomedical Sciences with the thesis on Iron Metabolism at the host-pathogen interface, publishing 3 ISI papers and 1 open-access software for image analysis (CellNote), in collaboration with the Telecommunication Institute. I was awarded a Short-term Mission grant by DNDi COST Action CM0801 and went to the Microbiology Parasitology and Hygiene Lab - Antwerp University, as a CellNote ambassador, exchanging knowledge in drug screening techniques. As a Post-Doc, I actively participated in 2 FCT-funded projects on Iron Metabolism and Drug Discovery, published 3 papers, including an automated image analysis protocol, and increased my collaborative network on Iron Biology (F. Cannone-Hergaux, INSERM; M. Muckenthaler, KiTZ; E. Nemeth, UCLA). I have also developed a project (PTDC/QEQ-MED/7097/2014) focused on the repurposing of chemotherapeutic compounds for leishmaniasis treatment, published 5 papers in Q1 journals, and extended networking with Drug Discovery experts J. Barlow - Imperial College London, and Rui Moreira and A. Ressureição - iMEd.UL. In 2018, I obtained my Clinical Research Monitor certificate from CTI, paving the way for a translational research career. In 2019, I moved to the Oncology field, integrating the TMI group at i3S as a responsible for conducting a collaborative project (PTDC/BIA-CEL/31743/2017) led by Rui Travasso (Centro de Física, U. Coimbra), publishing 1 first-author and 2 co-author papers, contributing with 2 presentations (EMBO workshop on Vascular malformations and EACR Goodbye Flat Biology meeting), and participating in the COST Action EuroCellNet CA15214. Meanwhile, I started a new research line bridging Iron Metabolism and Oncobiology, enabling the graduation of 3 MSc students with theses on the impact of radiotherapy on macrophage iron metabolism, the crosstalk between adipocytes and macrophages in renal carcinoma, and in radiotherapy effects on rectal cancer secretome. In 2021, through competitive calls, I was awarded an FCT project (EXPL/BIA-CEL/1225/2021) and 1 Nanostring Grant as PI to study the effect of radiotherapy in rectal cancer immune profile and iron metabolism. Within the scope of these projects, I established collaborations with IPO-Porto and Olivier de Wever Lab at CRIG and recruited 2 PhD FCT-funded Student in a co-tutelage doctorate between Porto and Ghent Universities. I also contribute to higher education and to public awareness, as an invited professor in the Portuguese Red Cross Nursing College and lecturer of the GABBA PhD course and by engaging in Ciência Viva activities and i3S educational programs, respectively. I have experience as a jury of academic panels and PhD/MSc theses scientific committees. I am a PLoS One, DDTR and CCHTS reviewer, EACR ambassador, ASPIC, SPI, ESTro and BioIron society member, and a mentor of the Global Talent Mentoring. Until May 2023, I published 17 papers in ISI journals, with >70 natl. and internl. co-authors, 1 book chapter, 16 oral presentations, 39 poster communications at world-class meetings, participated in 3 COST actions, supervised 9 students (1PhD, 5MSc, 3BSc), tutored 14 students (PhD, MSc), and 5 received awards.