Ana Paula Soares Dias Ferreira (Paula Soares-PS) completed his PhD in Human Biology in 1998 by the University of Porto Faculty of Medicine, Master's Degree in Oncobiology in 1993 by the University of Porto Faculty of Medicine, Degree in Biology in 1987 by the University of Porto Faculty of Sciences and Bachelor of Science in Pathological Anatomy, Cytological and Thanatological in 1986 by the Technical School of Health Services of Porto. PS is Associate Professor with Habilitation at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto. Title of Specialist in Human Genetics awarded by the Association of Biologists. PS is a researcher at IPATIMUP since 1990 and currently coordinates the research group Cancer, Signaling and Metabolism at I3S. She published 330 original articles and 40 review articles in specialized journals with a h-index of 55 (Scopus) and more than 10000 citarions. Published also 14 book chapters. In her professional activities, PS interacted with 640 collaborators in co-authoring scientific works. Organized 12 scientific events. PS participated in numerous national and international scientific congresses and meetings as a invited speaker. PS supervised 20 doctoral theses and co-supervised 4, supervised 24 master's dissertations and co-supervised 6 and supervised 10 post-doc researchers. PS received 24 awards. Researcher responsible for 29 projects financed by industry and other national and international entities. Participates as a Principal Investigator in 6 FCT projects and as a Researcher in 8 FCT projects.PS is the inventor of a patent and scientific supervisor in a start-up resulting from the research carried out in her research group. Is a member of numerous scientific societies, being presently member of the executive committee of European Thyroid Association. Participates in evaluation committees and scientific groups, as well as project reviewer in national and international funding agencies, article reviewer and editor/member of the editorial board of international journals. She works in the area of Medical and Health Sciences with an emphasis on Basic Medicine. Its main study model has been the autoimmune and neoplastic thyroid pathology. The group that leads contributed significantly to the establishment of the genetic profile of thyroid tumors with the discovery of mutations in BRAF and in the promoter of the TERT gene in these neoplasms, becoming one of the most cited groups in thyroid carcinogenesis. Her group also made relevant contributions in establishing the prognostic value of mutations in the TERT gene promoter in other cancers including thyroid, glioblastoma, melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma and bladder cancer. Her research interests include oncobiology of endocrine and neuro endocrine tumors, with special emphasis on genetic changes in cell signaling molecules involved in the MAPK and PI3K / mTOR pathways. More recently, her research has focused on the mechanisms of cellular immortalization in cancer and their cellular repercussions. Particular interest is given to translation studies concerning the clinical and pathological significance of genetic alterations in cancer, always with the ultimate goal of her investigation to go further in the development of useful biomarkers for monitoring and improving the treatment of cancer patients.