After graduating in Biology in 1999 from the Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, MGC pursued a PhD at Instituto Superior Técnico, where she investigated mechanisms of stress resistance. In 2007, she joined NOVA Medical School as a postdoctoral researcher in Immunology and has been an Invited Assistant Professor at the same institution since 2012. More recently, she was appointed Principal Investigator, establishing the Translational Tumor Immunology group within NOVA Medical School.
Her research focuses on understanding the immune response in cancer, aiming to identify predictive and prognostic biomarkers and to develop new immune-based therapeutic strategies, particularly for breast cancer. Through a combination of molecular, cellular, and translational approaches, her group seeks to connect fundamental immunology with clinical applications, contributing to the development of more effective cancer immunotherapies.
MGC has authored or co-authored 37 scientific articles and 3 book chapters, and has recently submitted a patent highlighting the translational potential of her work. Her research has been recognized through several prizes and awards in the fields of cancer biology and immunology.
In addition to her research activities, MGC is actively involved in academic teaching and mentoring, having supervised and co-supervised several PhD and MSc students. She continues to foster strong collaborations with clinicians to advance translational studies aimed at improving breast cancer management.