José Pissarra graduated in Biology - Scientific branch (1981) at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto (FCUP). As one of the best students of that year, he received an academic prize from Fundação Eng. António de Almeida. Orienting his research activity to the study of cell differentiation using electron microscopy, in 1984 obtained an equivalent to a degree in 'Pedagogical Aptitude and Scientific Ability'. In 1993 obtained his PhD in Biology at the University of Porto, with summa cum laude. Maintaining regular activity of theoretical and practical teaching, he created several courses (curricular units), supervised several MSc dissertations and PhD thesis and has participated in dozens of jury boards being principal opponent in numerous Master and PhD examinations. He has given numerous lectures in the biology area in various institutions. He performed a plethora of administrative duties, was member of the Scientific Board at the Faculty of Sciences, Director of the Master in Cell and Molecular Biology, Director of the Master’s in Biology, coordinator of the Master in Biology for Teaching, member of the Scientific Committee, member of the Evaluation Coordinating Council, and Head of the Department of Botany at the Faculty of Sciences - University of Porto. He also participated in several juries for selection of assistant professors for the University of Lisbon. Has been evaluator of applications for master, doctoral and post-doc scholarships, he has participated in project evaluation panels, and has been referee in several international scientific journals within his areas of expertise. As a researcher, he has also been focused on extending the impact of scholarly work through outreach and engagement with the public. Therefore, he coordinated numerous outreaching activities aiming to bring science to society. He has been responsible and co-responsible for R&D projects funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, the National Agency for Scientific and Technological Culture, the University of Porto, companies and recently by BPI and Fundação la Caixa. In the frame of the research work developed so far, several healthy national and international collaborations have been established. Presently, he is invited Associate Professor (as retired professor) at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto, and an Integrated Researcher at GreenUPorto engaged in projects at varying stages. The result of his research activity has been published as articles, book chapters and proceedings, in well-ranked international peer-reviewed scientific journals, and several dozen communications presented at scientific conferences. Current research activities he is supervising in the group are organized along two main topics: (1) The group has been studying the molecular determinants involved in the targeting and sorting of proteins. We have made important contributions to the understanding of proteins sorting to the vacuole, we showed that a protein can have two sorting signals following different routes to the vacuole and demonstrated, also, that post-translational modifications like N-linked glycosylation can modulate vacuolar sorting that bypass the Golgi. Presently, we are studying the expression of genes involved in the protein-storage vacuole and autophagy pathways under abiotic stresses. (2) Having acquired a sound knowledge on microscopic wood anatomy José Pissarra been responsible, so far, for wood species identification and analysis of woods in archaeological, paleobotany, art history and forensic purposes, as well as supervising a few master dissertations and PhD theses on these contexts. Some papers present in his CV are the result of this activity.