SCIENTIFIC PROJECTS 2017-2020- Principal Investigator in project “INSPIReD" Funded by Prémio Melo e Castro 2016 - Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa 2009-2012: Researcher in European project entitled "InComb - combating incontinence", INComb FP7 HEALTH project no 223234 2004-2008- Researcher in project “Mecanismos sensitivos da bexiga hiperactiva” POCI/SAU-NEU/55983/2004. Funding by FCT. 2000-2004 - Researcher in project “Papel dos neurónios sensitivos que expressam os receptores vanilóides em patologias articulares e urinárias”, POCTI/32466/NSE/2000. Funding by FCT. 2009 - Researcher in project entitled "Bladder structures targeted by Botox". Funding by Allergan. 2010 - Principal investigator of project entitled “Effect of Botox in the intramural parasympathetic ganglia of the urinary bladder. Experimental study in the guinea-pig”. Funding by Allergan. 2008 - Principal investigator of project entitled "Importance of BDNF in bladder overactivity. Experimental study in the rat". Funded by: Bolsa de Investigação JABA e Associação Portuguesa de Urologia; Principal investigator of project entitled "Interplay between NGF and TRPV1 in an animal model of chronic bladder inflammation". Funded by: Bolsa de Investigação da Associação Portuguesa de Urologia, 2008 EXPERIENCE AS SUPERVISOR AT POST-GRADUATE LEVEL 2021-2024 - Ana Isabel Pereira Ferreira (PhD Programme in Neurosciences), FMUP 2018- 2023 – Silva Maria de Sousa Chambel (PhD Programme in Neurosciences), FMUP 2019-2020 – Ana Isabel Pereira Ferreira (Master degree in Neurosciences), FMUP 2015-2019 –Raquel Mano Oliveira (PhD Programme in Neurosciences), FMUP 2015-2018 – Ana Cristina Coelho (post-doc researcher), FMUP 2016-2017 –Ana Rita Alves da Silva (Master degree in Neurosciences), FMUP 2016-2017 –Helena Isabel Alvites Cavaleiro (Master degree in Neurosciences), FMUP 2011-2014 - João Santos (Integrated Master degree in Medicine), FMUP 2011-2014 - André Canelas (Integrated Master degree in Medicine), FMUP 2009-2013 - Bárbara Frias (PhD Programme in Neurosciences), FMUP 2008-2009 –Bárbara Frias (Master in Biochemistry), Institute for Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar and Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto 2006-2009 - Co-supervisor of Rui Pinto (Master in Molecular Medicine), FMUP Prizes and awards 2013: 1st Prize. “Intrathecal administration of botulinum toxin type A improves urinary bladder function and reduces pain in rats with cystitis”, Grunenthal Foundation, Prize for Investigation in the Pain Field. 2012: Best session poster. "High urinary levels of nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in women with overactive bladder syndrome normalize after lifestyle intervention and antimuscarinic therapy". Annual Congress of the European Assocition of Urolgy; 2011: First prize for best abstract (non-oncology). "Urinary levels of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor in women with overactive bladder syndrome correlate with the severity of symptoms". Annual Congress of the European Association of Urology; 2009: Second prize. “Transient receptor potential vanilloid subfamily 1 is essential for the generation of noxious bladder input and bladder overactivity in cystitis.” Grunenthal Foundation, Prize for Investigation in the Pain Field. Co-author. 2008: Interest and merit to “Avaliação dos níveis de fosforilação das ERKs 1 e 2 como factor de prognóstico”, Portuguesse Association of Urology. Co-author. 2004: 1st Prize. “As cínases de regulação extracelular –1 e –2 (ERK 1 e 2) medeiam a dor e a actividade reflexogénica da bexiga causadas pela inflamação crónica da bexiga”, Grunenthal Foundation, Prize for Investigation in the Pain Field. First author. 2003: 2nd Prize: “Expressão do receptor vanilóide (VR1) no tracto urinário do rato”, Grunenthal Foundation, Prize for Investigation in the Pain Field. Co-author. 2001: Best session poster: "Bladder sensory fibers immunoreactive to the vanilloid receptor type 1 (VR1)”, XVIth Congress of the European Association of Urology, Geneve, 2001. Co-author. EDITORIAL ACTIVITY Invited reviewer for several neuroscience and urology journals Invited leading guest editor for Current neuropharmacology, Pain research and treatment. Academic editor for Medicine OpenAccess. Invited associate editor: Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience Archive - Molecular Signalling and Pathways