Maria has a degree in Biology from the University of Algarve (UAlg), Portugal, in 2006. She furthered her education with a master's in Biomedical Sciences in 2012 and a PhD in Biological Sciences with a specialization in Biotechnology, both from UAlg, concluding in 2019. Her research has significantly advanced the fields of blue biotechnology and saline agriculture, underscored by her role in 9 national R&D initiatives, an international PRIMA project, and 3 COST actions, showcasing her extensive collaboration and impact in these specialized areas. In 2018, alongside Luísa Custódio, Maria co-founded the "XtremeBio" research group at CCMAR, focusing on innovative uses of halophytes as sources of high-value products, and phytoremediation uses underlining her commitment to sustainable biotechnology solutions. Her expertise and dedication were recognised in 2022 when CCMAR hired her as a Junior Researcher through the FCT Contract Programme (UIDP/04326/2020), specifically for her project "Halo-In: How can tissue culture be used for biodiversity preservation and biotechnological valorisation of selected salt tolerant species from the Algarve coast”. Maria has also made significant editorial contributions serving as a guest editor for specialized issues in her field. Currently, she teaches in the "Sustainable bioprospecting of natural products" unit of the IMBRSea international master's program. The outcomes of her innovative experiments have not only bolstered her career but also contributed to the broader scientific community, with the XtremeBio research group's findings disseminated through 81 papers in peer-reviewed international journals, 14 conference proceedings, a book chapter, 37 conference presentations, and 11 invited talks. This output demonstrates Maria's passion for science and her substantial influence on plant and environmental biotechnology.