Cândida Tomaz graduated in Pharmaceutical Sciences (1990) by University of Coimbra, Portugal, and completed her PhD in Biochemistry (2002) at University of Beira Interior (UBI)In 1990, she started her academic activities as Junior Teaching Assistant and since 2011 is Associate Professor in Chemistry Department of the Faculty of Sciences at UBI. She was Course Director of the 1st and 2nd Cycles in Biochemistry and at present she is the Coordinator of the Biochemistry Doctoral Program in UBI. C Tomaz completed the supervision almost 50 MSc and 7 PhD theses and at present is supervising or co-supervising 3 PhD and 1 MSc dissertationThroughout his academic career C Tomaz has held several positions at UBI, namely member of the General Council of the University, President of Sciences Faculty Council, President of Sciences Faculty Pedagogical Council and member of Coordinator Institute of Research of UBI. She was also Vice-coordinator of Biopharmaceutical and Biomaterials Research Group and Executive Board member of Health Sciences Research Centre (CICS- UBI)C Tomaz published almost 60 papers in international peer reviewed journals, 8 book chapters and has about 1200 citations. She has published in specialized and multidisciplinary high impact scientific journals and is also member of editorial reviewer boards. She collaborated with international institutions, namely, Antwerp University Hospital, Lascaray Research Centre, University of the Basque Country, National Biotechnology Center (CSIC) at Madrid and also with several national institutions namely, Univ. Coimbra, Univ. Minho, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research, and several hospitals (CHUCB, HUC, ULS Guarda, CH Leiria). C Tomaz participated in 21 research projects, mostly in the Health Biotechnology field, and she was the principal investigator in 6 projects, 2 of them funded by Novartis Farma and 1 awarded by Ordem dos FarmacêuticosShe has been working since many years in downstream processing for the purification of biopharmaceuticals, with particular focus on the development of new chromatographic supports, such as monoliths and cryogels. Currently she is working in a project for development of innovative strategies for treatment of ocular neovascular diseases.