Mariana Ferreira is currently pursuing a Master’s in Health Sciences at the University of Minho, having completed her BSc in Applied Biology in 2023. She is beginning her thesis research under the guidance of Sara Cesariny Calafate and Tiago Gil Oliveira. Her research focuses on the role of Melanin-Concentrating Hormone (MCH) and sleep in the interaction between Amyloid-β and microglia, aiming to deepen the understanding of these complex biological processes.