My expertise, honed during my PhD and postdoctoral training, is in the field of mitochondria biology and inflammatory signalling in neurosciences. I earned my PhD in Cell Biology in 2011 (FCTUC) under the supervision of Dr SM Cardoso and Dr CR Oliveira. My advanced training abroad took place in Dr RH Swerdlow lab at the Research Institute of Kansas City, USA, a renowned center for research in brain bioenergetic, metabolism and genetics. During my postdoctoral studies I made significant contributions to the work conducted in collaboration with Dr. Illana Gozes (Tel Aviv University, Israel) resulting in seminal findings that advanced understanding of how mitochondrial metabolism regulates the microtubule acetylome and autophagy, specifically through SIRT-2 and LRRK2. During this period, I was the first author of 5 and co-author of 9 original publications in peer-reviewed journals (e.g., Scientific Reports; Mol Neurobiol; BBA) gaining expertise in advanced imaging and animal experimentation. In 2019, I joined CIBB as a Junior Researcher. Since 2023, I have been leading the “Novel Signalling Biomarkers and Mediators in Gut-Brain Axis Communication and Regulation” subgroup within the Gut-Brain Axis group. My research focuses on understanding how microRNAs (miRs) and circulating cell-free mitochondrial DNA regulate gene expression and serve as signalling molecules along the gut-brain axis, influencing neurodegenerative diseases such as PD and gut inflammatory disorders. Since 2019, I have lead research that resulted in 5 original papers as 1st author and co-authored 6 papers in top specialty peer-reviewed journals (e.g. Mol Neurodegener, JNeuroinflam). Remarkably, I was the senior author of 3 review papers denoting my scientific leadership. Of note, I was the 1st author of a breakthrough study published in Gut (2021) where we elucidated how a bacterial metabolite can drive PD neurodegeneration through mitochondrial dysfunction. The innovative nature of my research was recognised with Pfizer 2023 Award in Basic Research. Furthermore, in 2023, I published a pioneer paper in Redox Biology, showing that neurons can activate innate immunity following LPS exposure. These findings opened exciting new research avenues in the field of neurosciences and consolidated my expertise in microbiology and immunology, complementing my skills in advanced wet lab techniques, such as flow cytometry and transcriptomics, which I find critical for the success of this proposal. To reinforce my ability to become an independent researcher, in the last 5 years I successfully secured 2 highly competitive national grants from FCT (300€), one in collaboration with Dr Merari Ferrari from São Paulo University. As a team member of 17 (inter)national projects (e.g., Prémio SANTA CASA Neurociências; CurePD) I gained valuable insights in project management, teamwork and financial oversight. I have mentored or supervised 14 BSc, 36 MSc and 15 PhD students and I am currently coordinating a team comprising a PhD and a MSc student. Additionally, I am also regularly invited to serve as an MSc/BSc thesis examiner, guest lecturer for post-graduate courses and peer reviewer for respected journals. Despite two career breaks for maternity leave (2016, 2019), I have published 51 papers (33 original articles, 18 as first author, and 5 as last/corresponding author), with 42 in Q1 journals. This reflects an average output of 3.2 articles per year, underscoring my productivity and commitment to science. My research aims to identify novel biomarkers for the early detection and monitoring of gut-brain axis dysfunction, with the potential to revolutionize diagnostics and enable personalized treatments.