Joana Moreira Marques holds a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Porto, in collaboration with the Leiden University Medical Centre (NL). She graduated from the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto, holding a Bachelor's (2014) and a Master's Degree (2016) in Biochemistry. Her PhD work was developed at INEB/i3S under the supervision of Prof. Bruno Sarmento and co-supervision of Prof. Domingos Ferreira (FFUP) and Prof. Helena Florindo (iMed.U.Lisboa, FFUL). Her PhD project focused on the development of a cellular therapy for type 1 diabetes, which combined nanoparticles and stem cells. During her PhD, she had the opportunity to spend 8 months abroad at the Leiden University Medical Centre (Leiden, The Netherlands), where she performed experiments with stem cell-differentiated islets and human donor islets. During the BSc, she worked in the Iron and Innate Immunity group (IBMC), studying the importance of oxygen and nitrogen radical species in the Leishmania infantum infection in mice. During her master's thesis, she worked in the Nerve Regeneration group (i3S), where she studied the role of Profilin in axon growth and regeneration. Afterwards, Joana worked in the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Porto, under a Research Fellowship, and for almost 2 years at a pharmaceutical company in Coimbra, in the Stabilities Studies Department. So far, she is co-author of 1 patent, published 6 articles in international peer-reviewed journals and 1 book chapter, and authored 11 communications in national and international conferences. During her PhD, she was also involved in the i3S PhD Students Representatives. Some of her current research interests include biomaterials, tissue engineering, pharmaceutical nanotechnology, nanomedicines and targeted drug delivery. Her responsibility towards the scientific endeavour has not been restricted to research as she actively participates in public awareness actions for science dissemination in primary schools.