Dr. Arosa has been working in the field of human T cell biology for the last 30 years. During his studies as a Ph.D. student, under the supervision of Maria de Sousa, he first described anomalies in the kinase activity of p56lck in CD8+ T cells from hemochromatosis patients (Scand J Immunol. 39(5):426-32, 1994), along with anomalies in the percentage of, what are today known as, effector memory CD8+ T cells (reviewed in Immunol Cell Biol. 80:1-13, 2002). As an independent researcher, and through collaborations with research groups in the UK, Netherlands, and Germany, he led a group of young researchers whose studies contributed: (1) to the identification of molecular cis-associations between ß2m-free MHC-I heavy chains (now designated as open conformers, reviewed in Trends Immunol. 28:115-23, 2007) and the molecular chaperone calreticulin, akin to other key components of the T cell signaling machinery, such as the CD8 receptor and its associated Lck, on the plasma membrane of activated human CD8+ T cells; (2) to the characterization of the phosphorylation of a conserved tyrosine residue in the cytoplasmic tail of ß2m-free MHC-I molecules or open conformers (J Biol Chem. 274:16917-22, 1999; J Biol Chem. 279:53062-70, 2004; J Immunol. 176:2942-9, 2006); and (3) to establish a strong association between IL-15 signals and differentiation of human CD8+ T cells, namely loss of CD28 and de novo expression of functional NK receptors (Blood. 102:2541-6, 2003; J Immunol. 182:6149-59, 2009; Immunobiology. 216:604-12, 2011). His studies also contributed to first characterize anomalies on T cell populations and aberrant expression of MHC molecules in monocytes in patients with sphingolipidoses (Br J Haematol. 129:667-76, 2005; Br J Haematol. 143:601-4, 2008) and more recently in patients with Polycythemia Vera (Ann Hematol. 97:1563-1575, 2018). Moreover, he also started a comprehensive series of studies to disclose the immunoregulatory properties of human red blood cells (RBC). These studies led to the demonstration that human RBCs are endowed with cell growth and survival bioactivities towards activated/dividing T lymphocytes (Blood. 97:3152-60, 2001; Curr Pharm Des. 10:191-201, 2004; Cell Mol Life Sci. 66:3387-98, 2009; Immunol Cell Biol. 89:111-21, 2011). In summary, Dr. Arosa has extensive experience in molecular and functional studies of resting and proliferating ex vivo T cells. He is now Principal Investigator at the Health Sciences Research Centre (CICS-UBI) at the University of Beira Interior, where he coordinates a group of young people working on Human Immunology. Since the restructuration of CICS-UBI in 2019 (following indications of the External Advisory Board), Dr. Arosa is integrated into the Neurologic and Neurovascular Disorders (NND) research group. The NND group investigates brain disorders, including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, Dementia, and Stroke, through different approaches. In this regard, and using a cohort of elderly subjects from the Beira Interior (EBIcohort), Dr. Arosa and his collaborators have identified novel immune biomarkers of neurodegeneration and dementia in cognitively impaired elders (Front Immunol. 11:592656. 2020; HLA 102(6):660-670, 2023)