Maria Jose Costa

Maria Jose Costa has extensive work experience in the field of biology and translational research. Maria Jose is currently serving as the Senior Director and Head of Biology and Translational Research at Tallac Therapeutics since 2022.

Prior to this, Maria held various positions at Immune-Onc Therapeutics. Maria Jose started in 2019 as an Associate Director of Research and worked their way up to become a Senior Director and Head of Research. Their responsibilities included leading research efforts, collaborating with preclinical and clinical teams, and supporting decision-making in early clinical development.

Before joining Immune-Onc Therapeutics, Maria worked at Pfizer from 2014 to 2019. Maria Jose served as a Principal Scientist in the Cancer Immunology Discovery division and led various drug discovery projects. Their role involved coordinating cross-functional teams, conducting preclinical studies, and supporting the repurposing of antibody-based therapeutics.

Maria's earlier experience includes working as a Staff Scientist at Stanford University from 2009 to 2014, where they focused on stem cell fate decisions and published original research papers. Maria Jose also worked as a Postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, San Francisco, where they contributed to cancer cell biology and tumor microenvironment research, published multiple research papers, and had a journal cover publication.

Maria began their career as a PhD student at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, where they studied thyroid epithelial cell biology and focused on the role of lipid rafts and caveolae in thyroid cell signaling and tumor formation. Prior to that, they worked as an Undergraduate Student Researcher at IPATIMUP.

Overall, Maria Jose Costa's work experience showcases their expertise in biology, translational research, drug discovery, and cancer cell biology. Maria Jose has demonstrated leadership, collaboration, and a strong publication record throughout their career.

Maria Jose Costa completed their Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from Universidade de Coimbra in 2001. Maria Jose then pursued a PhD in Cell Biology, Biochemistry, and Endocrinology from Université libre de Bruxelles, which they successfully completed in 2006.