Maria Vaz Pinto completed the Bachelor's degree in Biologia in 2017/06 by Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências and Master's degree in Genética Molecular e Biomedicina in 2019/11 by Universidade Nova de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia. She integrated a collaborative project between Fernandes' and Gois' labs with the primary goal of studying and characterizing demyelination using newly synthesized fluorescent molecules for the identification of demyelinating structures and glial cells, giving special attention to the microglia for their role in the progression of this pathological process. During this project, she worked with ex vivo organotypic slice cultures and primary cell cultures, evaluating demyelination, microglial phagocytosis and inflammatory pathways by immunohistochemistry, RT-qPCR, and confocal microscopy. At the same time acquired some level of expertise in chemical synthesis and fine-tuning of fluorescent molecules. Maria is currently working as a research fellow in Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, in the project Grant Multiple Sclerosis Innovation 2017, led by Professor Adelaide Fernandes. Her research focuses on microglia role in Multiple Sclerosis (MS), where she aims to find fluorescent chemical probes selective for microglia as an attempt to improve MS characterization, better define MS patient's prognosis, as well as to reduce neuroinflammation, promote remyelination and hopefully ameliorate MS pathology using targeting approaches to modulate these cells.