Elsa S Henriques

Overview

I graduated in Chemistry – Scientific branch, major in Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, my Master’s and PhD degrees being also in Chemistry with specialization in Structural Computational Biology, followed by 10 years of academic, professional experience as a dry lab postdoctoral researcher. I worked in interdisciplinary environments, collaborating with scientists from various nationalities and fields of expertise (biotechnology, virology, crystallography, condensed matter physics, computer science) and studying a wide variety of biological/ biochemical systems – from MRI contrast agents to digestive and blood coagulation proteases, from antibody-antigen interactions to structural and host-mimetic viral proteins.

My research experience abroad includes a secondment at the Laboratoire de Chimie Theorique - University of Nancy already during my PhD, a first postdoctoral appointment carried out both in Portugal and in Brazil (at the Instituto de Química - UFRJ in Rio de Janeiro), and a two-year postdoctoral position at FIAS - Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany.

After joining joined CNC in 2008, I made a career move in 2013 when I became a full-time project manager and embraced a career in Science & Technology Management. Since then I grew as a Science Manager and implemented CNC's Research Funding & Management office, which I now coordinate. My present duties include
‒ prioritising projects within the institution, fundraising, proofreading individual project applications and writing institutional ones;
‒ providing inputs and indicators (including scientometrics) for strategic institutional planning, assess core competencies and respond to specific requests for information about funding programs, projects, facilities or capabilities (in short, research information management), informing researchers and institutional governing bodies;
‒ supporting researchers and decision makers in matters like Open Science, Research Data Management and institutional HR policies.

 In sum, I work towards enhancing the impact of the research endeavours undertaken under CNC aegis and that of the R&D Unit CIBB (where CNC is integrated), while fostering the implementation of institutional policies and R&I strategies that create good framework conditions for researchers to excel.