“I have co-founded a startup to improve maternal health in low-income countries, which has been internationally recognised – an old dream inspired by my experiences as a volunteer GP in low-income countries.”
I was born and raised in Portugal, where I qualified in Medicine and obtained my MSc from the University of Porto. After undertaking academic and research placements at the Harvard Medical School affiliate Cambridge Health Alliance in Boston, and at the Institut National de la Santé et Recherche Médicale in Paris, I decided to build a career in research and academia. My goal was to bring together my clinical and research experience to deliver safe and more patient-centred care.
In 2014, I moved to the UK with a scholarship from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, ready to pursue a PhD at Imperial. I am glad to say that I didn’t just find a place that allowed me to develop a PhD project and build my research profile, but one that also supported me to develop my personal and professional vision.
As part of Imperial’s innovation programmes (Venture Catalyst Challenge and Imperial-Althea Programme, now called WE Innovate), I co-founded a startup to improve maternal health in low-income countries, which has been internationally recognised – an old dream inspired by my experiences as a volunteer GP in low-income countries.
Since 2017, I have been part of the Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI), where I currently hold a post as Research Fellow. At IGHI, my research focuses on using electronic health records and clinical analytics to predict high-risk and deteriorating groups, as well as excluded and underserved populations. I also work closely with the European Association of General Practitioners, to better understand the use of electronic health records in Primary Care, current practice models, and policies across Europe.
I love feeling part of a thriving, committed and inspiring community of scientists and academics, and appreciate the plentiful opportunities that emerge every day.