Carla Varanda graduated in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Évora (UE) in 2003, obtained a Master's Degree in Biology of Plant Pests and Diseases (UE) in 2005 and a PhD in Agricultural Sciences (UE) in 2011. C. Varanda is an assistant professor at Escola Superior Agrária de Santarém, IPSantarém and a researcher at the Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development (MED) and the Global Change & Sustainability Institute (CHANGE), Associate Laboratory, at the University of Évora. C. Varanda's main research areas are the study of viruses both as plant pathogens and as biotechnological tools. Other lines of investigation include the study of plant diseases and the development of diagnostic techniques and biological control methods. Throughout her career, C. Varanda has published 36 articles in indexed scientific journals, 14 as first author, 16 as corresponding author and 4 as senior author; in addition to other relevant scientific production, including 2 edited books and 1 book chapter, several articles in 'Proceedings' and 8 articles in technical journals. C. Varanda's extensive research experience can also be demonstrated through her participation in 18 national and international projects. Her scientific independence and international recognition can also be proven through her role as Principal Investigator of two projects in highly competitive FCT competitions (obtained in 2017 and 2018). C. Varanda's professional commitment in her scientific area is also recognized by the academy through teaching functions (at ESAS, UE and at Universidade Aberta), participation in several juries of academic degrees and project grants, as well as supervision of students. C. Varanda has also participated in the organization of national and international congresses and meetings, as well as in 'Ciência Viva' programmes. C. Varanda's ability to obtain an original and high quality performance allowed him to develop 4 European patent applications (EP20165419.1, EP20165418.3, EP22201482.1, EP22201471.4), both based on the development of viral vectors in plant protection. Her vast scientific background extends to participation in the evaluation of grants for R & D projects (United States, Israel and Chile), as Portuguese coordinator of the Cost action (COST FA1407) and as academic editor and reviewer of several articles in journals Q1. The internationalization of C. Varanda can also be confirmed through several scientific collaborations that resulted in published articles, internships, participation in conferences and funded research projects. Throughout his career, C. Varanda has received important recognition awards, such as innovative company awards and competitive individual funding.