After a degree in aquatic sciences (1996 ICBAS UP) and a Master's in Ethology (1999, ISPA), I joined the Neurobehavior Group (IBMC-UP) as a Ph.D. student (2000), to strengthen the Animal Behavior approach to the study of drug addiction. During that period, I explored the potential of environmental flexibility to shape the brain, rendering it more resilient to addiction (PhD, Biomedical Science, ICBAS-UP). Since then, I have been devoted to this research field, first as a post-doc at IBMC, where I was also responsible for establishing and supervising a neurobehavioral core. Later, as a post-doc at ICBAS-UP (2012-2015), I wrote my first successful research grant During this time, I further developed my passion for animal behavior applied to human health by collaborating with ÂNIMAS (non-profit organization that provides trained dogs for people with a range of disabilities) actively participating in research projects aiming to determine the potential of dogs to modulate the behavior of children with intellectual disabilities positively, and Training/supervising students in this field. Next, I secured a highly competitive position in the FCT investigator program as an assistant researcher (2015-2020). Under this position, I brought into the Addiction Biology group of i3S (AB-i3S) an ethological approach, enabling the integration of distinct levels of information, and providing a more integrative understanding of the neural and psychological dimensions. The stability of this 5 years of contract, allowed me to boost my scientific independence, start my research line, and led a behavior research team, within AB-i3S, focused on identifying the environmental factors that can be modulated to promote resilience to drug use. Over the last 5 years, my findings pushed forward the comprehension of the effects of social stress during the ontogeny of vulnerability to addiction. I was the last/senior-author in 8 articles (out of 15) in top journals such as Neurosci Biobehav Rev, Translational Psychiatry or Sci Rep. My research quality was recognized through 2 awards- “Best Paper 2019” by the Portuguese Society for Immunology, and “Best paper 2022” by ISPA-Instituto Universitário: Prémio ISPA em Investigação em Psicologia e Ciências do Comportamento - Edition 2022- and media appearances in TV/radio/newspapers. To support my research endeavors, I have secured funding as a PI of two FCT grants: I was also a co-PI of a Work Package in a large initiative to capacitate the I3S animal facility (N2020, FEDER). This has allowed me to maintain the financial independence of my research line. I have demonstrated my leadership skills through my collaboration in several research projects as a senior researcher, as well as through my supervision and co-supervision of 1 postdoc, 3 PhD, 8 master's, and 18 graduate students. Within i3S, my recognized expertise in Neurobehavioral Science led me to hold my position as Assistant Researcher and to establish and preserve a behavioral core, overseeing the implementation of behavior-related tests for rats and mice, equipment, and software, which is now used by a large number of research groups. I have also contributed to scientific thinking and academic training, teaching Ethology at the undergraduate and M.Sc. programs and Behavioral Neuroscience in a Doctoral Program. In recognition of my expertise, I have integrated several academic juries I have devoted to ethological research since 1996 and have extensive animal behavior research experience that encloses studies with fish, dolphins, dogs, cats, penguins, and rodents.