Adriana Rodrigues is currently a Junior Researcher integrated in the group "Aging and Stress" from the Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S) and an invited assistant professor at the Faculty of Medicine (FMUP) and at the Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences (FCNAUP), from the University of Porto. Adriana Rodrigues initiated her scientific carrier at FMUP, as a research trainee developing her undergraduate thesis. After graduation in Biology from University of Évora in 2006, she pursued her studies, as an invited researcher in the FMUP, where she obtained her PhD degree in Biomedicine in September 2013. Her PhD thesis on ¿Melanocortin 5 Receptor Signaling Pathways: Implications on Adipocyte Biology", describes a novel role for the neuropeptides melanocortins in the regulation of lipid turnover and unravels the involvement of the melanocortin 5 receptor (MC5R) in this mechanism. Based on the development of different constructs of MC5R stably expressing GFP, she demonstrated that MC5R forms intracellular vesicles retaining signaling complexes in the cytoplasm and then recycle back to cell periphery to initiate another cycle of signaling; signal propagation to the nuclei pointed out the regulation of genes important for energy homeostasis. Naturally, she proceeded as postdoctoral researcher being able to uncover the transcriptional program activated in the adipocyte: for the first time the browning effect of melanocortins in white adipose tissue was described. Browning relates to the transdifferentiation of white adipocytes into a brown-like state able to convert lipids into heat. This is a very important anti-obesity mechanism as she demonstrated in her recent paper published in one of the most recognized journals in the obesity field, the International Journal of Obesity from the Nature Publishing Group. Overall, she published 24 papers in international peer reviewed journals, of these, 21 were original research articles, 3 were review articles and 10 were as first author. She is also author of 1 book-chapter and co-author of 31 conference papers. Her work was presented more than 90 times in several meetings both orally (38 times, 6 of which was as invited speaker) and in poster format (59). Her work has been recognized both national and internationally, as she was awarded with 3 best research work, 2 best poster presentations, 3 best oral communications and 3 travel awards. Besides she earned 2 FCT grants (Doctoral and PosDoc), 3 Obesity study grants from TANITA, ABBOTT and SPEDM and one FCT project. In addition, her PhD thesis was nominated for ¿Best Thesis Award¿ by the European Association for the Study of Obesity. Over the last years, Adriana Rodrigues has strengthened its expertise in the area of obesity and ageing as both share biological hallmarks related to a dysfunctional adipose tissue. Adipose inflammation and senescence stem from the pathological expansion of white adipose tissue and are now considered crucial risk factors for obesity/aging-related pathologies. The mechanism involved seems related to the adipose tissue crosstalk with other tissues and organs, and constitutes the focus of Adriana current studies. She has been active in academic activities in the FMUP, as well, being responsible for the supervision of 2 PhD student, 5 MSc students and 5 BSc students. She is also a lecturer in Gerontology sessions of MSc and PhD programs on Medicine and Molecular Oncology, and more recently in Neuronal cell culture module from MSc program on Neurobiology. She also participates in dissemination of knowledge activities promoted by UP Junior University since 2007. In 2019 she was hired by the Institute for Molecular and Cellular Biology from i3S as a Junior Researcher. In parallel with her research activities, she lectures Cellular and Molecular Biology and Histology at FCNAUP since 2022 and Molecular Genetics and Human Biology I at FMUP since 2024.