Joana earned her Doctor of Natural Sciences degree from Freie Universität Berlin (2014) and gained research experience as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Tel Aviv University, Israel (2015–2017). She later specialized in intellectual property management, working as a Patent Counsel in Tel Aviv (2018–2022) and Lisbon (2022–2024) and also worked at Roche Hoffmann in Basel after completing her PhD. As Portfolio Manager at the ITQB NOVA Innovation Unit, at ITQB NOVA Innovation Office, Joana supports researchers in managing intellectual property, from evaluating patentability to overseeing patent portfolios. She will also scout projectable and ensures the strategic protection of research findings.