I (Eduardo Rafael Ribeiro Teixeira) completed my Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry at the University of Minho, School of Sciences (2019-2022). Currently, I am enrolled in a Master’s degree in Neurobiology at the University of Porto, Faculty of Medicine. My academic journey has been complemented by my role as a Research Trainee at the Associate Laboratory ICVS/3B's, where I have been deeply involved in a neuroscience project aimed at understanding the role of the Laterodorsal Tegmental Nucleus (LDT) in reward and aversion. During my traineeship, I have employed state-of-the-art techniques such as optogenetics and photometry, and I have gained proficiency in essential neuroscience methodologies, including tissue processing, fluorescence microscopy, and behavioural study protocols. This project also put me in contact with major valence-processing brain regions, namely, the LDT input and output regions. My work in this project has not only honed my technical skills but also deepened my understanding of complex neurobiological processes.