We are building the world's first AI-powered skincare device to bring you the best JOY & Scientific Insights from your skin. https://acie.skin/Main tasks: pitch presentations at international events; development and implementation of clinical trials; participation in writing grant proposals for the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH); development, testing, and validation of skin biosensors; participation in fundraising; writing of scientific articles for publication in prestigious journals.

I work at Paulo Filipe Lab - Dermatology Investigation Unit, in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine of Lisbon and the Dermatology Department of Hospital Santa Maria. I am mainly focused on a project that studies neutrophils' populations in Psoriasis. In particular, I am analysing the effects of biological therapies in low density neutrophils in patients with Psoriasis. Other projects include non-melanoma cutaneous cancers and photobiological studies for the identification of photoproducts of drugs used in the skin.

Participation in the Molecular Photochemistry Unit of Centro de Química Estrutural and in the Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences of Instituto Superior Técnico.

Thesis title: Fluorescently-labeled DNA Probes Functionalized Onto Gold Nanorods For Signal Enhancement In Nucleic Acids’ DetectionDevelopment of fluorescence-based biosensors for application in medical diagnostics, via conjugation of dye-labeled DNA probes onto gold nanoparticles for improved detection of nucleic acids, in particular RNA, DNA, and microRNA sequences, proposed as biomarkers for dengue virus and sleeping sickness infections, and cancer and/or cardiovascular diseases, respectively. Work performed in the Photoactive Molecules, Photonics and Functional Materials group of Centro de Química Estrutural (CQE) and in the BioEngineering Research Group (BERG) of the Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences (iBB). Collaboration with the Molecular Biosensing for Medical Diagnostics Group from the Eindhoven University of Technology.Author/co-author of four research articles and one review. Dissemination with oral and poster presentations in national meetings and international conferences. Writing of scientific reports. Participation in writing grant proposals for Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) calls. Guidance of undergraduate and master’s students. Co-responsible for laboratories. Equipment and material maintenance, and quotations management.

Participation in a research project: Functionalized Metal Nano-Gaps For Plasmon-Enhanced Single Protein Biosensing.I worked in collaboration with the Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences (iBB) and the Molecular Photochemistry Group of the Centro de Química Estrutural (CQE).Development of biosensors for medical diagnostics. Functionalization of spherical gold nanoparticles with oligonucleotides, producing dimers that provided hot-spots for fluorescence enhancement of dyes.Dissemination through poster presentations in international conferences. Writing of scientific reports. Participation in writing grant proposals for FCT calls. Co-responsible for laboratories. Equipment and material maintenance, and quotations management.

I worked as a visitor Ph.D. student in the Molecular Biosensors for Medical Diagnostics group of the Eindhoven University of Technology, under the supervision of Professor Peter Zijlstra. Performed dark-field microscopy measurements on single gold nanorods functionalized with biotin receptors for plasmon biosensing of streptavidin.

- Several modules: Innovation in Bioengineering, Bioprocess Engineering, Computational Biosystems, Cell and Tissue Engineering, Nanobiotechnology and Biomaterials, Biomedical Devices and Technologies.- Bio-Teams: From Research to Market - Laboratory rotations in research groups: - Composite Membranes for Guided Bone Regeneration at the Tissue Engineering Group (GREAT) of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of the New University of Lisbon; supervisor: Doctor Jorge Silva. - Osteoconductive and Biomimetic Composite Materials Containing New Bioactive Nanoparticles for Orthopedic Applications at the 3B´s Research Group of the University of Minho; supervisors: Doctor João Mano and Doctor Natália Alves.

I participated in the project Coatings and Materials Formed by Antimicrobial Cationic Polymers. Co-funded by QREN, under the “Programa Mais Centro” and European Union, from 2009 to 2012.Development of innovative nanomaterials and coatings based on silica nanoparticles or carbon nanotubes, with antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiviral properties for application in furniture, footwear, building materials, textiles, etc.Inventor of a patent (Antimicrobial Complexes) and author of a research article. Oral presentations and participation in lab meetings. Writing of scientific reports. Representation of the company at public events. Co-management of the chemistry and microbiology laboratories. Equipment and material maintenance, and quotations management. Co-implementation of the electrospinning system of the Biomaterials and Stem Cell-Based Therapeutics Laboratory of Biocant Park.

Developed the Master Thesis in Biomedical Engineering – Chitosan Nanofiber Matrices as Skin Substitutes at GREAT of Physics Department and CENIMAT of Department of Materials.Produced chitosan-based nanofibers using electrospinning, and characterized the biomaterials as possible substitutes for skin lesions.Participated in the project NanoSkinSpin - Development of New Chitosan/Chitin Nanofiber Matrices to Promote Regeneration of Wounded Skin. Project PRIME IDEIA 70/00335, “Agência de Inovação”, from 2007 to 2009. Published an article.