Ana Assunção has a degree in Agricultural Engineering from UTAD, Vila Real (1997) and a PhD in Plant Physiology and Genetics from the Free University of Amsterdam, VU (2003). Following a postdoctoral position at VU (2003-2005), she moved to the Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University, WUR, as a VENI-laureate from the Dutch Research Council (2005-2009). She was an associate researcher at the University of Copenhagen (2009-2011), and in 2011 moved to CIBIO-University of Porto. In 2015, she received a YDUN grant from the Independent Research Fund Denmark (DFF) and was appointed Associate Professor at the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen. In 2024 she returned to CIBIO-BIOPOLIS, where she heads the Plant Nutrition Group.

Liliana S. Silva is an R&D scientist with a Ph.D. in Biology (2017) and a degree in Biochemistry (2008) from the University of Porto. Throughout her career, she has investigated nitrogen assimilation in legumes using molecular biology and biochemical approaches to study gene expression, protein-protein interactions, and metabolic pathways involved in nutrient uptake and signalling. While her research has primarily focused on legumes, it provides insights and methodologies broadly applicable across diverse plant systems. Currently, she investigates fundamental questions on metal micronutrient homeostasis in plants by combining molecular, genetic, and bioinformatic approaches.

Gonçalo Vasques has an M.Sc. in Applications in Biotechnology and Synthetic Biology (2024) from the University of Porto. Throughout his academic training, he focused on the study of plant metallothioneins and their role in metal homeostasis. His past research was primarily conducted using Arabidopsis thaliana. His current work focuses on elucidating the molecular and physiological mechanisms of zinc sensing and homeostasis in Arabidopsis and sorghum, which has direct implications for agriculture, sustainability, and global food security.