I received a Ph.D. in Biology - Ecology and Biosystematics from the University of Lisbon in 1999. I am a researcher of the CE3C, in the Natural History Collections & Systematics Group. I am a professor of Cell Biology at the University of Lisbon, Faculty of Pharmacy. My research focuses on plant species diversity from Portugal and Macaronesia.
For many years I have been involved in micromorphology of medicinal and aromatic plants and their glandular structures. I collaborate with colleagues working on phytochemistry and microbiology, from FFUL, FCUL, ISA-UL, INIAV. These collaborations have included diverse studies on secondary metabolites as a source of active principles. My current research is on plant micromorphology and phytochemistry of species from the montado ecosystem.