Helena M. Figueiredo holds an MSc in Health Sciences, completed in December 2024 at the Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS)/School of Medicine, University of Minho (UMinho). She previously earned a BSc in Biochemistry at the School of Sciences, UMinho, in 2022, where her passion for science and research was cemented. During the MSc, Helena explored fields such as neurosciences, immunology, genetics, biostatistics, and laboratory animal sciences, which sparked a deeper curiosity in oncology and translational research. Her master’s thesis, titled “Clinical value of a WNT6-driven molecular signature in glioblastoma liquid biopsies,” was supervised by Dr. Céline S. Gonçalves and Dr. Bruno M. Costa at ICVS. The research focused on evaluating the feasibility of liquid biopsies based on extracellular vesicles isolated from glioblastoma patients’ blood samples, using WNT6 as a molecular marker. As part of her research, Helena was also involved in the FCT-funded exploratory project “Tracking brain tumors through their exosomes: a WNT6-driven approach.” Throughout her academic career, Helena has developed expertise in various advanced techniques, including extracellular vesicle isolation and characterization, molecular and cellular biology methods, and data analysis. In February 2025, she attended the EMBO Practical Course: Extracellular vesicles: from biology to biomedical applications at EMBL Heidelberg, Germany, after being awarded an EMBO Travel Grant to support her participation. This experience further enhanced her expertise in extracellular vesicle research. Her contributions to the scientific community include six first-author presentations (three oral communications and three posters) at national and international conferences, earning recognition such as the Best Poster Award at the ICVS 2024 Retreat. With a strong foundation in health sciences and a commitment to advancing scientific knowledge, Helena continues to explore innovative approaches to oncology research.