Bachelor's degree in Biology from the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto. Completed a master's degree in Oncobiology and a PhD in Human Biology under the supervision of Prof. Manuel Sobrinho Simões, at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto.

Associate Professor with aggregation since July 2022. Assistant Professor, in full dedication, at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, Pathology department, since November 2001, with definitive appointment in 2004.  Participation as a lecturer in curricular units of the integrated master's degree in Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto and in Master's and PhD programs.

Coordinator of two optional Curricular Units of the integrated master's degree in Medicine, coordinator of one Curricular Unit of the Master's in Medicine and Molecular Oncology, and coordinator of two Curricular Units of the Doctoral Program in Medicine and Molecular Oncology. Member of the Scientific Committee of the Master's in Medicine and Molecular Oncology.

Since the development of the master's thesis, she has focused on the oncobiology of thyroid tumors, being involved in the early studies that described mutations in BRAF and the TERT promoter in thyroid carcinomas, as well as in clarifying their diagnostic and prognostic significance, not only in thyroid tumors but also in other human neoplasms.

In 2003, she began leading the Cancer Biology group at IPATIMUP, and since 2014, at I3S, shecoordinates the research group Cancer Signaling and Metabolism. The group has a multidisciplinary character and involves researchers, with a special interest in endocrine and neuroendocrine pathology.

After completing her PhD, she co-authored more than 300 scientific articles published in internationally circulated journals (h index = 56); participated in 50 national and international research projects, 35 of which as coordinator (or co-coordinated); supervised (or co-supervised) 10 postdoctoral students, 27 doctoral students, and 34 master's students; supervised 7 research fellows, 15 mobility projects, and 6 research internships for physicians in specific training.

Member of scientific societies, serving as a member of the executive committee of the European Thyroid Association. Participation in the editorial board of 7 scientific journals and regularly acts as a reviewer for articles in indexed journals. Collaborates, as a consultant and project evaluator, with various national and international funding institutions. Individually or collectively within the group, she has received several scientific distinctions. Regularly participates in science outreach activities to the community and in pedagogical conferences.