João Peça is a Tenured Assistant Professor and Principal Investigator at the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra (CNC-UC). He performed his Ph.D. research at Duke University, where he created the first transgenic mice for channelrhodopsin-2, laying the foundation for the field of optogenetics. During his postdoctoral research at MIT, João made significant contributions to the study of autism, uncovering a novel role for cortico-striatal dysfunction in autism spectrum disorders through the characterization of animal models. His current research focuses on understanding how genetic and environmental risk factors lead to alterations in neuronal circuits associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. To address these challenges, João employs a multidisciplinary approach combining molecular genetics, optogenetics, electrophysiology, and advanced models such as animal systems and human brain organoids. João’s work has resulted in primary research publications in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals, including Nature, Neuron, Nature Communications, Molecular Psychiatry, and PNAS, as well as review articles in Cell and Annual Reviews in Neuroscience.

Over his career, he has successfully supervised or co-supervised 9 Ph.D. theses and more than 15 M.Sc. students. He was named an FCT Investigator (2013), receiving a Marie Curie Career Integration Grant (2014), and won a NARSAD Young Investigator Award (2014–2016). In 2019, he was honored with the prestigious “Pfizer Prize in Basic Research,” the oldest award in biomedical sciences in Portugal, and in 2022, he received the “Special Recognition - Science” distinction from the World Cultural Council, Switzerland. In addition to his research achievements, João plays an active role in academic leadership and education.

He is in the Board of Directors at CNC-UC, he is the Treasurer of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, and serves on the Board of Educators for “Neurasmus: the European Masters in Neuroscience" and "IMAgein: International Masters in Ageing".