I am a Senior Postdoctoral Researcher at NOVA Medical School (NMS, Nova University Lisbon) specializing in cell and developmental biology. My research combines biomechanical, cellular, and molecular approaches to understand tissue morphogenesis and repair during development and disease. My recent work on mechanobiology focuses on cell adhesion and cytoskeletal dynamics during wound healing and synaptic plasticity, using Drosophila as a model. My scientific journey began with a Biology degree from the University of Lisbon (2002), followed by an undergraduate thesis and an internship (2001–2003) under S. Thorsteinsdottir and I. Palmeirim (Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Instituto Gulbenkian Ciencia). At that time, we demonstrated the importance of the extracellular matrix and intercellular interactions in chick somite formation. I pursued a PhD at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG) in Dresden (2003–2007), under C.P. Heisenberg. There, I investigated cell adhesion and cytoskeleton dynamics during zebrafish gastrulation, revealing a novel role for cortical flows and adherens junctions in driving gastrulation movements. In 2009, I joined A. Jacinto’s lab in Lisbon (first at Instituto Medicina Molecular, and from 2012 at NOVA Medical School, NMS, NOVA University Lisbon) to study tissue repair in Drosophila. Initially, I focused on transcriptional pathways (e.g., NF-kB, EGF/ERK) in epithelial wound healing, developing expertise in Drosophila genetics, live imaging, and laser ablation. I later initiated a research line on Occluding Junctions in epithelial mechanics, securing €250k (FCT, 2018–2021) as PI, mentoring students, and delivering multiple talks and publications—including first and corresponding author contributions. More recently, I engaged in a fruitful collaboration with PI R. Teodoro to investigate neuro-epithelial interactions during skin repair through a funded project (€50k, FCT, 2022–2023) where I was PI. As of 2025, I joined the group of R. Teodoro as a Senior Post-doc, and am expanding my research to study the role of mechanical forces, cytoskeleton dynamics, and intercellular interactions during synaptic plasticity. In total, I have led projects as PI on grants totaling nearly €300k, and participated in several other projects. My work has resulted in 17 peer-reviewed articles (16 in Q1 journals) and nearly 800 citations. Highlights include pioneering studies on epithelial repair and mechanics where I am corresponding author (Porfirio-Rodrigues et al 2025 JCS; Carvalho et al 2018 JCB). Additionaly, I have consistently secured competitive funding for my salary through awards including a Marie-Curie Intra-European fellowship, multiple FCT postdoc fellowships, and a 6-year FCT postdoc contract. Beyond research, I have played a central role in lab management, student mentorship, teaching, and outreach. I am deeply committed to developing individuals and research teams. I have (co-)supervised 6 MSc and 13 undergraduate students, mentored several PhD students and junior postdocs, and taught in various MSc and PhD programs. I have organized scientific workshops, lab retreats, and served on multiple evaluation panels and academic juries. My national and international collaborations (e.g., IST Austria, CNRS, FCUL, CFTC, i3S) have strengthened both my research group and broader networks. I also contribute extensively to the research community and broader society through outreach activities (e.g., European Researchers’ Night), organizing conferences (e.g., 3rd NMS International Symposium, 7th Annual Portuguese Drosophila Meeting), and active participation in institutional committees (Postdoc, Infrastructure, Lab Sustainability). As a reviewer for top journals (Development, PNAS, Nature Physics, among others) and lead guest editor for a special issue in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, I strive to contribute to rigorous scientific standards and open science.