Rita Pedrosa is currently doing her PhD in Bioengineering at the Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, and at the Centre of Biological Engineering (CEB), Engineering School- University of Minho. Her research focuses on the study of cerebral malaria. She intends to develop an in vitro model mimics the human brain ex vivo to understand CM pathology better. This model aims at a greater understanding of cerebral malaria and the molecular pathogenesis, injury, and dysfunction of the brain.