About me

I graduated in Portugal (where I’m from), with a BSc and MSc in Biochemistry, at Universidade NOVA de Lisboa. I did several internships during my studies, where I worked in molecular biology, mathematical modelling, microbiology, and biophysics. Afterwards, I moved to The Netherlands, where I was awarded my PhD in April 2016. My doctoral work was focused on metallodrugs as protein modulators, especially on metal-based compounds as possible anticancer agents and aquaporin inhibitors. I then moved to Cardiff, working as a postdoctoral research associate at the School of Chemistry, Cardiff University.
In 2018, I was awarded a Wellcome Trust ISSF Fellowship to investigate glycerol channels’ role in cancer progression. I joined the Tissue Microenvironment Group at the Division of Cancer and Genetics, Cardiff University, for this role. I was appointed, in 2021, as a Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences at the Centre for Medical Education, Cardiff University, and subsequently as a Senior Lecturer in 2023. Here I mainly teach Phase I of the medical undergraduate degree (MBBCh) and I am involved in various research projects in both cancer research and Medical Education.

I love communicating, illustrating science, and understanding how we can better communicate our work to any audience. I’ve won the Leadership in Public Engagement and Outreach award 2021, awarded by the Royal Society of Biology. I am also interested in e-learning in medical education and creating engaging resources to help to teach the next generation of clinicians and scientists. My other interests in medical education include mental health, crafting/creativity in education, and inclusivity.

I often use Twitter to share my infertility journey and my (undiagnosed) ADHD and raise awareness for topics I’m passionate about. I have a million hobbies, but spend most of my spare time dancing, making my own clothes, or photographing things around me.

HONOURS AND AWARDS
Funding as Principal Investigator
2021 – Innovation for All Public Engagement grant Research Wales Innovation Funding (RWIF) (£7.4k)
2019 – Wellcome Trust ISSF Public Engagement Proof-of-Concept Award (£7.2k)
2018 – Wellcome Trust ISSF Fellowship (£75k)
2018 – Aspiring Fellows fellowship as a part of Future Leaders in Cancer Research (FLiCR) initiative (£5k)

Funding as Co-Investigator
2019 – Co-Investigator in GW4 Initiator Grant (GW4 NanoMedicine) (£14k)
2018 – Co-Investigator in a project awarded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), Portugal (220k €)

Awards and Travel grants
2023 – Rising star (shortlisted), Cardiff University Excellence Awards
2023 – Outstanding innovations in Medical Education (nomination), SURGAM awards
2023 – Extremely supportive colleague, SURGAM awards
2022 – Rising star (nominated), Cardiff University Excellence Awards
2021 – Leadership in Public Engagement and Outreach, Royal Society of Biology (Link)
2018 – Best Poster Presentation at Chemical Tools for Systems Biology III (RSC Conference), London, U.K.
2018 – Best Oral presentation at EUROBIC14 (European Biological Inorganic Chemistry Conference), Birmingham, U.K.
2018 – RSC Travel grant (Chemistry-Biology interface division), to attend Gordon Research Conference in June 2018 (£400)
2017 – Selected Participant for the 67th annual Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting (5k €)
2014 – Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) fellowship in the Scope of COST Action CM1106 “Chemical Approaches to Targeting Drug Resistance in Cancer Stem Cells“ (1.8k €)
2013 – Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) fellowship in the Scope of COST Action CM0902 “Translocation of metallic ions across the biomembrane and their fate after uptake” (1.8k €)
2012 – Best Presenter, Pharmacy Day of Groningen Institute of Pharmacy, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, The Netherlands

ACADEMIC POSITIONS
2023 – Present – Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Medical Education (C4ME), School of Medicine, Cardiff University
2021 – 2023 – Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Medical Education (C4ME), School of Medicine, Cardiff University
2020 – 2021 – Postdoctoral Research Associate (British Lung Foundation), Division of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University
2018 – 2020 – Wellcome Trust ISSF Fellow, Division of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University 
2016 – 2018 – Postdoctoral Research Associate, School of Chemistry, Cardiff University

EDUCATION
2012 – 2016 – PhD candidate, Groningen Institute of Pharmacy, Groningen University, The Netherlands
2011 – MSc in Structural and Functional Biochemistry (2-year program), Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Portugal
2009 – BSc in Biochemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Portugal 

TEACHING
2021 – Present– Project supervisor for the intercalated degree in Medical Education (iBSc Med Ed)
2021 – Present– Teaching Phase I of the medical undergraduate degree (MBBCh): Case-Based Learning (CBL) Facilitator, Platform for Clinical Sciences (PCS) tutor, Student Selected Component (SSC) tutor
2021 – Lecture “Glycerol channels in cancer” for Medical Pharmacology undergraduate students
2021 – Completed Facilitator training for Case Based Learning (CBL)
2021 – Shadowing of two Case-Based Learning (CBL) cases for year 1 MBBCh
2018 – Coursework assessor for Trends in Drug Discovery, from Taught MSc Medicinal Chemistry program
2017 & 2018 – Lab demonstrator for Chemical Biology and Introduction to Chemistry of Life (years 1&2 from Chemistry BSc)
2008/2009 – University-appointed tutoring of junior students in BSc Biochemistry
2007/2008 – Personal tutoring of individual pupils and groups (years 5-10) in Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Portuguese

SUPERVISION
2021 – Present – Supervision of Medical Education intercalated degree projects
2019 – Supervision of one MSc lab-based project student from MSc in Cancer Biology and Therapeutics
2016 – 2018 – Daily supervision of two PhD students, supervision of one MChem lab-based project, two Chemistry BSc computational projects, and one literature review from the Taught MSc in Medicinal Chemistry. Additionally, I have supervised/trained several lab visitors (postgraduates).
2012 – 2016 – Supervision of four MSc research projects from MSc in Pharmacy, Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and TopMaster MSc in Medical and Pharmaceutical Drug Innovation, most resulting in published peer-reviewed publications. Additionally, I supervised two BSc in Pharmacy lab projects and supervised/trained several lab visitors (postgraduates).

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

– Workshops in Digital Education and Blended teaching at the Princess of Wales Hospital, July 2023
– Workshop at Cardiff University’s Learning and Teaching Conference, Innovations in digital education: Shared experiences from the Medic Dig Ed e-Hub, July 2022, Cardiff, U.K.
– Workshop at Cardiff University’s Learning and Teaching Conference, Creativity in Medical Education, July 2021, Cardiff, U.K.
– Royal Society of Biology “Biology week”, Leadership in Public Engagement and Outreach invited award talk
– CYTO Virtual 2021, ISAC (International Society for the Advancement of Cytometry) (virtual)
– ECR showcase 2021, Cardiff University, U.K (virtual)
– 14th European Biological Inorganic Chemistry Conference (EUROBIC14), 26-30 August 2018, Birmingham, U.K.
– South West Structural Biology Consortium, June 2018, Exeter, U.K.
– South West Structural Biology Consortium, July 2017, Cardiff, U.K.
– 1st International Symposium on Clinical and Experimental Metallodrugs in Medicine: Cancer Chemotherapy (CEMM), 12th-15th December 2015, Honolulu, USA
– 6th European Conference of Chemistry in Life Sciences, 10th-12th June 2015, Lisbon, Portugal
– Annual Pharmacy Day 2014, Groningen, The Netherlands
– Medicinal Chemistry and Bioanalysis (MCB) Symposium, 25th August 2014, Groningen, The Netherlands
– Annual Pharmacy Day 2013, Groningen, The Netherlands
– 15th edition of the FIGON Dutch Medicines Days, 30 September – 2 October 2013, Ede, The Netherlands
– Whole Action Meeting of the COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) Action CM1105 “Functional metal complexes that bind to biomolecules”, 9 – 10th September 2013, Barcelona, Spain
– Molecular Machinery COST Training School, 15-18th May 2013, Lisbon, Portugal
– WG1+ WG5 Joint Meeting COST Action CM1105 “Functional metal complexes that bind to biomolecules”, 25-26 February 2013, Groningen, The Netherlands
– Annual Pharmacy Day 2012, Groningen, The Netherlands (Prize for the best presenter of the session)

COMMITTEES and OTHER CITIZENSHIP ACTIVITIES
2021 – Present – Mentor for Cardiff University Fellowship Programme (FHEA)
2021 – Present – Family Leave Project – Infertility Lead (University-wide)
2022 – Present – Extenuating Circumstances Committee (C4ME) member
2021 – 2022 – Chair of the DCG NeRD committee: a committee from the Division of Cancer and Genetics, run by ECRs, dedicated to the training and development of fellow ECRs across the division
2021 – Present – Centre for Medical Education (C4ME) Digital Education working group PGR & C21 Digital Education Co-Lead
2020 – 2021 – DCG NeRD committee member
2017 – 2018 – Athena Swan committee member, School of Chemistry, Cardiff University

PEER REVIEW
For the most up to do date information, visit my Publons profile.
– Reviewer for Chemical Communications (1), ChemMedChem (1), Chemistry-A European Journal (1), International Journal of Molecular Sciences (6), Amino Acids (1), Cells (3), Molecules (2), Inorganica Chimica Acta (1), Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (1), Trends in Pharmacological Sciences (1).
– Grant reviewer for the Auckland Medical Research Foundation, BBSRC, and the Slovak Research and Development Agency

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Affiliate Member of the Institute of Medical Illustrators
Member of the International Society for the Advancement of Cytometry (ISAC)
Member of the Biochemical Society
Member of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS)
Ambassador and Member of the European Association for Cancer Research (EACR)
Member of the Portuguese Cancer Research Society (ASPIC)