Mariana Santa-Marta holds a PhD in Pharmacy and a degree in Biology, with a scientific background in virology and molecular biology. Following several years as a researcher in Portugal and the United States, she transitioned into research management, where she has accumulated over a decade of experience in competitive research funding. Her career spans several research institutions, supporting more than 500 grant opportunities across diverse national, European and international funding sources, with particular expertise in highly competitive programmes such as ERC, MSCA and Horizon Europe.
As Head of the Research Funding Office at NOVA IMSB, she leads the institute’s research funding strategy, focusing on diversifying funding sources, increasing international competitiveness and strengthening the capture of external funds. Her role includes strategic funding intelligence, development of institutional funding pipelines, tailored support to researchers, and capacity building through training, mentoring and targeted initiatives aimed at strengthening NOVA IMSB’s long-term funding performance and international positioning.