My scientific journey began in 1997 with a Biology degree from the Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, where I graduated top of my class (18/20). In 2001-2002, I completed the Graduate Program in Areas of Basic and Applied Biology (GABBA) at ICBAS, University of Porto, under the supervision of Prof. Maria de Sousa. In late 2002, I moved to the University of Cambridge for my PhD and a short postdoc in Mammalian Developmental Epigenetics under Prof. Anne Ferguson-Smith's supervision. During this period, I published nine articles, four as first author. In 2008, I joined Prof. Edith Heard’s lab at Institut Curie, France, where I focused on Molecular Epigenetics. My work there resulted in nine peer-reviewed publications, including three as first author and one as senior and corresponding author, in high-impact journals such as Cell, Molecular Cell, Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, and EMBO Reports. In 2015, I became a Senior Researcher in Prof. Maria do Carmo Fonseca’s lab at Instituto de Medicina Molecular (iMM), supported by an Investigator FCT (iFCT) assistant research position, later transitioning to an individual CEEC Assistant Researcher contract in 2019. During this time, I secured five project grants as Principal Investigator, and published nine articles, five as senior author, in journals such as Stem Cell Research, Human Molecular Genetics, and Nucleic Acids Research. I supervised 12 MSc students and co-supervised two PhD students. In September 2018, I also became an Invited Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon. Since 2022, I have led the "Stem Cell Epigenetics" Lab at iBB/IST, University of Lisbon, supported by a second CEEC Assistant Researcher contract. My research integrates epigenetics and stem cell biology, focusing on three main areas: the mechanisms of epigenetic regulation of gene expression in stem cells, the epigenetic fidelity of stem cell models, and stem cell-based disease modeling of human developmental disorders. I currently lead two ongoing projects as Principal Investigator, funded by FCT and the Angelman Syndrome Alliance, and one as co-PI, funded by the Foundation for Prader-Willi Research. Additionally, I am a Work Package Leader Substitute in the EURAS consortium, funded by the European Commission. Since I become a lab head, I have published ten articles, including senior author papers in Nature Communications, Stem Cell Research Human Cell and Aging Biology. I have (co)-supervised 3 PhD and 7 MSc student who successfully defended their theses. My current research group consists of one senior researcher, two postdoctoral researchers, four PhD students, and three MSc students. Since April 2024, I am also an Assistant Professor in Molecular and Cell Biology of the Department of Bioengineering (DBE) at IST, University of Lisbon. In summary, I have published 37 peer-reviewed articles, with an h-index of 19 and 2,612 citations, including ten as first author and sixteen as senior and corresponding author. I have secured funding through nine project grants as PI or co-PI, three of which are currently ongoing. Throughout my career, I have supervised or co-supervised 23 MSc and 7 PhD students. With a strong foundation in epigenetics and stem cell biology, I remain committed to advancing our understanding of gene regulation and cellular reprogramming, while mentoring the next generation of scientists and driving impactful research in the field.