Dr. Palmeira is associate professor in the Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal and research scientist at Center for Neurosciences and Cell Biology, from the same University. His research interests are focused on the pathophysiological mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction and human health, with particular expertise in the study of the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of hepatic diseases. He is a member of several international societies, and serves in the Scientific Committee of ECVAM. He is author/co-author of more than 70 papers. He received his PhD in biochemistry at the University of Coimbra, Portugal and postdoctoral training in biochemical toxicology at the University of Minnesota.