Cátia Isabel Assis Fidalgo (CF) is a biologist specializing in microbiology, molecular biology, and bioinformatics, with a particular focus on plant-microbe interactions and their implications for plant health, disease resistance, and environmental resilience. CF holds a PhD in Biology (Microbiology) from the University of Aveiro (2017), a Master's in Applied Microbiology (2012), and a Degree in Molecular Biology and Genetics (2009), both from the University of Lisbon's Faculty of Sciences. Currently, CF is a Junior Researcher (CEEC holder) at CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, University of Aveiro, where she focuses on microbial ecosystems, applying bioinformatics to study plant-associated microbial communities. Her work integrates multi-omics data to explore microbial roles in enhancing plant immunity, resilience, and disease resistance, particularly under environmental stressors such as climate change. Over her career, CF has contributed to 18 published articles in peer-reviewed journals, including studies on microbial diversity, plant health, and bioinformatics. She has also co-supervised 1 PhD thesis and 1 MSc dissertation and supervised 5 undergraduate students. She has collaborated with 90 co-authors in publications and research projects. Notable projects include the recently kicked-off (June 2024) European project TERRASAFE, focused on ecosystem resilience in semi-arid regions; FATE, exploring the evolution of pathogenic potential in Aspergillus species in polluted soils, and Symbiolite, studying microbial-algal calcification processes. CF’s research has expanded to include bioinformatics tool development, using R and Python to analyze large-scale sequencing data and assess microbial diversity, making bioinformatics more accessible to biologists in various fields and increasing research efficiency. CF is involved in teaching and mentoring. Since 2019, she has organized and lectured the “Data Analysis Using R” course (yearly) at the University of Aveiro, and is the co-founder of the “Coding Club – Computer Says No” (weekly), where she mentors students and researchers in bioinformatics and coding. In addition to her regular teaching duties, CF has lectured courses covering a range of topics, including the analysis of metagenomic data, the study of plant-microbe interactions, and introductory bioinformatics programming. Throughout her career, CF has remained committed to advancing knowledge and mentoring the next generation of scientists. Her educational contributions extend beyond the University of Aveiro, where she has been invited as a speaker at various workshops and courses at other Portuguese Universities. CF has peer-reviewed for journals such as Archives of Microbiology, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Science of the Total Environment, and Current Microbiology, aiming at the best standards of quality of research. CF’s research trajectory is driven by a passion for microbial ecology, bioinformatics, and environmental sustainability. Her work addresses global challenges such as climate change, pollution, and sustainable agriculture, with a focus on developing computational tools to study microbial communities and enhance plant resilience. CF’s work in the TERRASAFE project includes the development of standardized experimental protocols and molecular techniques to assess microbial shifts in agricultural settings across five countries. Her future research endeavors aim to further integrate bioinformatics with ecological studies to improve our understanding of plant-microbe interactions, particularly in the context of climate change and environmental stressors. CF also seeks to continue her role in developing bioinformatics tools that facilitate data-driven biological research. Key Research Areas: Plant-Microbe Interactions, Bioinformatics, Microbial Ecology, Environmental Resilience, Plant Health, Data Analysis, Genomics, Bioinformatics Tools, Sustainability.