João Morais is originally from Valpaços, Portugal. He completed a bachelor’s degree in Genetics and Biotechnology at the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, where he studied muscle regeneration for his thesis.
He went on to earn a master’s in Neurobiology from the University of Porto. During his thesis, João joined the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown in Lisbon to investigate how serotonin influences decision-making under uncertainty. He later continued this work as a research assistant in the Mainen Lab.
João’s research interests center on internal states and behavior. He is now pursuing his PhD in Anita Lüthi’s lab, focusing on how sleep contributes to memory consolidation in goal-directed sensorimotor tasks.
Outside the lab, João is known for his creativity and describes himself as an aesthetic explorer.
Whether it’s through art, writing, or science communication, he explores ideas from many angles.
Click here to learn more about João, his artistic work, his scientific blog, and his literary explorations.
