Ana Frias earned her BSc in Biochemistry (2014) and MSc in Clinical Analysis (2016) from the University of Coimbra, Portugal. After gaining industry experience at Labialfarma as an in-process control technician, Ana pursued her growing interest in biomedical research by joining the Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, to do a PhD under the supervision of Ricardo Silvestre and Luís Lopes. Her doctoral work explored sex-based differences in the metabolic effects of branched-chain amino acid supplementation in ulcerative colitis. 

Deeply motivated to contribute to meaningful advances in healthcare, Ana has been involved in a wide range of projects spanning immunology, infection, inflammation, cancer, and molecular biology, and blending both animal models and human samples. Her drive to make a tangible impact on patients’ lives has inspired her transition into the field of cancer immunology.

Since June 2025, Ana has been a postdoctoral researcher at the Cancer Dormancy & Immunity Laboratory at the Champalimaud Foundation, where she investigates how the liver microenvironment shapes metastatic progression of breast cancer.

In April 2026, Ana left the lab to continue his career as a Postdoc in the group of Célia Gomes, at the iCBR, in Coimbra, Portugal. Farewell Ana!