Maria João Lança received a PhD in Biology from the University of Lisbon in 2001, holds the title of associate in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences from the University of Évora and currently works as Associate Professor with Habilitation in the Department of Animal Science at the School of Science and Technology of the University from Évora. She is an integrated member of MED Mediterranean Institute of Agriculture, Environment and Development and head of the group on Food Science and Technology (FST/MED). She also has training as a researcher coordinating the practice of animal experimentation (FELASA category C) and is accredited by the General Directorate of Veterinary Medicine. She is also certified in GC/MS and LC/MS technology and chromatography courses. Her main research activity has been in the area of ​​animal anatomy, physiology and metabolism and she also develops work on trophic biomarkers such as the signature of fatty acids for studies of the food chain in a pelagic marine environment in diadromous fish. It also develops work on the nutritional quality of fish, mainly diadromous fish such as sea lamprey, mullet, Atlantic salmon, among others. Currently developing early warning biomarker techniques to assess exposure to pollutants in diadromous species. In terms of research, her area is lipid metabolism with an emphasis on fatty acids from the omega family. She also supervises master's and doctoral students in the area of ​​nutritional composition of fish and trophic ecology of diadromous species.

She was/is a participating member in consultancy projects/service provision in various projects related to migratory fish such as: a) Implementation and Monitoring of the Fish Capture and Translocation Plan b) Plan for Monitoring, Adequacy and Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Compensatory Measures for the Fish Fauna Associated with the Ribeiradio-ermida Hydroelectric Power Plant (Phases I and II of Cycle I).GREENVOUGA c) Rehabilitation of Diadromous Fish Habitats in the Mondego River Basin d) Technical and Scientific Support To Evaluate The Efficiency And Efficacy Of The Fish Passage (PPP) Built In The Weir-Ponte De Coimbra.