Gonçalo José Martins Afonso is a scientific researcher at the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology of the University of Coimbra, Portugal. His primary focus lies in mitochondrial bioenergetics, oxidative stress, the development and validation of new experimental models, and innovative therapeutic approaches. Currently, he is enrolled in the PDBEB (Ph.D. Programme in Experimental Biology and Biomedicine) at the Interdisciplinary Research Institute of the University of Coimbra (IIIUC). Gonçalo embarked on his scientific journey with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, which he completed in 2018. His research initiation dates back to 2017 during his undergraduate studies when he investigated Rebaudioside A, a steviol glycoside from the Stevia plant. His project aimed to study its impact on oxidative stress and metabolism in the CA3 area of murine brain slices. This work extended beyond his bachelor's degree, enabling him to finalize and publish his findings. In 2020, Gonçalo obtained his master’s degree in Biochemistry from the same university. His thesis examined the effects of Rebaudioside A on the metabolism of human dermal fibroblasts and breast cancer cell lines Hs578t and MCF7, with a focus on its potential application in chemotherapeutic strategies. Additionally, he explored the influence of various culture media on the metabolic phenotype of human fibroblasts to enhance the physiological relevance of these models. Of note, he received an initiation to research grant through the "Summer Course in Interdisciplinary Research, Development, and Innovation in Cellular and Molecular Metabolism" funded by FCT to support his master’s degree research. Post-graduation, he continued his work on the primary project, MitoScreening, to further study metabolic rewiring through culture media manipulation in human skin fibroblasts. Over the last two years, Gonçalo has served as a contracted research fellow in the NeuroTool4ALS project, investigating the utility of human urine-derived stem cells and neuronal cells from direct differentiation as a platform for personalized medicine in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Gonçalo's expertise spans various methodologies and equipment, including cell culture techniques, cell viability assays, metabolic profiling, fluorimetric assays, PCR, flow cytometry, bioinformatics, and data analysis. He has also mentored undergraduate students in the laboratory. Throughout his academic journey, Gonçalo has authored five papers in first-quartile journals, contributed to a book chapter, delivered two oral presentations at international conferences with corresponding abstracts, presented a poster at a national congress with a published abstract, and showcased another poster at a national event. Moreover, he has secured acceptance for an additional oral presentation at an international congress and received a travel grant for it. With the exception of two papers, he was the lead author on all these works. In addition to his academic achievements, Gonçalo has been actively involved in student organizations, regularly attends scientific events, contributed to the organization of a national event, engages in scientific and human rights organizations, and volunteers for science communication initiatives.