José M. Correia da Costa is a Tenured Principal Investigator of the Department of Infectious Diseases at National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, and Scientific Director of the Center for the Study of Animal Science at the University of Porto, leader of a research Thematic Line, Emergent and Zoonotic Diseases. Dr. Costa received his B.S. degree in Nutrition at the University of Porto and his M.S. and PhD at the University of Sorbonne, Paris (Santé Publique, Santé au Monde). Prior, he completed several years’ fellowships at Pasteur Institute in Lille (Schistosoma Group). His Habilitation degree was approved at National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge. Dr. Costa holds a few patents and he published over 120 research articles and review articles mostly in Parasitology. Highlights of these studies from national and international research collaboration include, the characterization of Schistosoma haematobium estrogens and postulate the role of estradiol metabolism in urogenital schistosomiasis-induced bladder cancer; hypothesises  how the infection with Opisthorchis felineus induces intraepithelial neoplasia of the biliary tract in a rodent model, hypothesizing O. felineus as a type I biological carcinogen; Innovative drug repurposing for schistosomiasis; Innovative methods for the detection of environmental oocysts of Toxoplasma gondii; Innovative tool for mobile-based analysis of Malaria-infected thin blood smears: automated species and life cycle stage determination. In 2023, Dr. Costa received the Gold Medal from the Portuguese Ministry of Health for distinguished services.