I am a highly driven and innovative post-doctoral researcher with over 16 years of expertise in cellular and molecular biology, specializing in cancer research. I hold a degree and MSc in Pharmacy from the University of Coimbra, Portugal. In 2008, I was awarded a fellowship for a short-term research stay with Dr. Enrique de Álava's group in Salamanca. This opportunity laid the groundwork for a subsequent Ph.D. fellowship, granted by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (Portugal). After earning my Ph.D. in Cancer Molecular Biology from the Cancer Research Center at Universidad de Salamanca, I joined Dr. de Álava's newly established group in Seville. Since then, I have been a post-doctoral fellow at the Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), working closely with clinicians on pediatric sarcoma research. Additionally, I pursued an MSc in Clinical Trials at the University of Seville, further enhancing my expertise in bridging research and clinical applications. During my post-doctoral journey, I had the privilege of working at the Institute of Cancer Research in London under Dr. Janet Shipley, where I developed 3D tumor models and optimized innovative in vitro invasion protocols. Later on, I joined Dr. João Moreira’s Tumor Microenvironment and Targeted Therapies group at CNC-Universidade de Coimbra through a visiting research grant. Following this, I was appointed as an auxiliary researcher within the team. Earlier this year, I was honored to receive a European Research Agency grant under the prestigious Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions program, dedicated to advancing novel immunotherapeutic strategies for cold solid tumors. Over the past decade, my research has focused on the tumor microenvironment and the development of dual-targeting strategies. I have established novel and robust in vitro and in vivo research models to uncover the mechanisms driving the progression of rare pediatric sarcomas. Notably, I have created a novel research line dedicated to studying desmoplastic small round cell tumors, and am currently developing genetically engineered models to replicate this disease. In addition to securing independent funding for my projects, I have had the privilege of mentoring and supervising MSc and Ph.D. students, fostering their academic and professional growth. My primary motivation remains steadfast: to improve clinical outcomes for patients by translating molecular discoveries into actionable therapeutic strategies.