Helena Moreira is an enthusiastic and talented researcher. Helena's research aims to explore and develop new efficient bioinocula to improve crop growth and productivity under different environmental scenarios (e.g., drought, salinity, nutrient deficiency, heavy-metal contamination, and extreme pH). Since the early stages of her scientific career, Helena has analyzed the diversity, dynamics, and importance of several bio-inoculants, as well as their cooperative roles and beneficial effects on economically valuable crops, such as maize and sunflower. To tackle this analysis, Helena selected and optimized combinations of plant-growth promoting bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, tested their effectiveness in different plants and soils, and assessed the efficiency of the greenhouse-tested bio-inoculants in field experiments. The pursuit of these research goals led to a Ph.D. thesis on the role of plants and microorganisms in the management of heavy-metal polluted areas as an approach for land restoration, concluded at the end of 2014, and to a subsequent post-doctoral program on the formulation of new biofertilizers for crop production: contribution for sustainable agricultural practices. Helena has authored several scientific papers in SCI journals, and several more are currently near submission in the area of bio-inoculants. She also established and maintains an active international network of collaborations, largely promoted by international projects in which Helena has participated, such as the Interreg Project PhytoSUDOE. These collaborations with key researchers in their respective fields, which are aligned with and complementary to those of Helena, are planned to deliver shared scientific publications in the near future. Her growing independence and potential for intellectual leadership are evidenced by several first authorships, and by the supervision of graduate and undergraduate students in the area of environmental biotechnology. To date, Helena has developed experience in microbiology and molecular biology techniques, used in the selection, isolation, and identification of microorganisms, and in plant and soil analysis. She has also developed a strong expertise in designing and performing research, and data analysis, and has the curiosity, perseverance, discipline, and good interpersonal skills required to cope with the challenges of a scientific career.