I am a biologist specialized in ecotoxicology and ecology. Until September 2024, I was a post-doc researcher at SeaTox Lab@UCIBIO (FCT-NOVA), within the research project "Extreme Oceans" (FCT funded). My main tasks were related, mostly, with pre-processing of goby fish tissues subjected to heat waves in the field, coordination and execution of biomarker analyses, proteomics and genomics studies. My academic career began at University of Salento (Italy), where I graduated in Biology (2008), followed by a MSc in Biology (2011) and FCT-funded PhD (2013-2017), both at the Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra. Since 2019, I have worked as a postdoctoral researcher on biotechnology-oriented projects at SeaTox Lab, UCIBIO. My role included taxonomic identification of marine invertebrates, extracting and purifying toxins and pigments from collected organisms, and conducting in-vivo and ex-vivo assays on aquatic models like Daphnia and Mytilus species to assess their properties. This research aimed to characterize new bioproducts and build a well-organized database for public benefit. Additionally, I have gained extensive experience in laboratory methodologies, including marine organism dissection, protein and toxin extraction from polychaetes and gastropods (using techniques such as SDS-PAGE and HPLC), DNA strand breakage analysis via the Comet assay, histological and microscopy techniques for evaluating tissue damage, and assessing toxicological effects on various contaminants. I am also experienced in analyzing oxidative stress biomarkers and conducting statistical data analysis. I have supervised BSc and MSc students and supported laboratory courses in Cellular and Molecular Toxicology and Laboratory Techniques in Biology at FCT-NOVA. In 2018, I expanded my expertise in molecular biology and ecotoxicology by working on a project examining the ecotoxicological impacts of microplastics on marine organisms. My work involved maintaining aquatic organisms in the lab and evaluating the toxicity of microplastics through oxidative stress biomarkers and erythrocytic nuclear abnormalities in fish blood. My PhD research (2013-2017) at the Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra, sparked my interest in cnidarians. I investigated the influence of climate on the ecology, abundance, distribution, and species richness of gelatinous carnivores in the Mondego estuary. I have a passion for fieldwork and have spent countless hours collecting benthic, nektonic, and zooplanktonic samples from estuaries and open seas since 2011. My research career began in 2011 with a project on mercury contamination, where I demonstrated how mercury bioaccumulates in zooplankton and macrobenthic organisms. Since then, I have received nine grants and fellowships from FCT, Fundo Azul, and JPI Oceans. I have produced approximately 40 scientific publications, including papers, posters, and oral presentations, with about 80 citations. I have also participated in over 20 international conferences, contributed to 11 international projects, and supervised 12 BSc and MSc students, all in the fields of marine science, with a focus on marine ecology, ecotoxicology, climate change, and biotechnology.