Rita Pereira is a Molecular Biosciences PhD student at ITQB, NOVA University Lisbon. She obtained a BSc in Biology from Instituto Superior de Agronomia, University of Lisbon, in 2021, where she began her research training in plant biology, leading to a first-author publication. She subsequently transitioned to human biology and disease-oriented research and completed an MSc in Biomedical Research at NOVA Medical School, NOVA University Lisbon, in 2025.
At NOVA IMSB, Rita investigates the metabolic reprogramming of cancer-associated fibroblasts and its impact on therapeutic response in hepatocellular carcinoma using advanced 3D cellular models and genome-wide molecular profiling approaches. Her work focuses on tumour metabolism, epigenetic regulation and tumour–stroma interactions, with the aim of identifying targetable mechanisms to restore therapeutic sensitivity and improve clinical outcomes for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.