Mariana F. Almeida graduated in Psychology in 1989 at the Faculdade de Psicologia e Ciências da Educação, Universidade de Lisboa/ University of Lisbon. In 2010, she completed a PhD in Public Health - Health Promotion (at the Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública/ Universidade Nova de Lisboa), with the thesis "Health Promotion: People aged 65 and over. Elements for a comprehensive ageing policy".

Throughout her career she has held positions in governmental agencies (Social and Health sector) and in local development NGOs. She has been involved in planning, monitoring and implementing public and non-profit services, in national and international projects and networks, as well as in studies and research activities. She was awarded several research grants/scholarships (from JNICT, INIC and FCT).

She is a Researcher at the IE since May 2011, and a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Institute of Social Sciences - University of Lisbon (ICS-UL) since March 2013, where she is working on the project AUPE - "Participation and Urban Built Environment Change for Healthy Ageing" and coordinating the network CIT-A-PE - "Forum Walkable Cities, Cities for (All) People", partner of the European Innovation Partnership for Active and Healthy Ageing - D4 Age-Friendly Environments.

Her main current research interests are in the area of ageing and health promotion, including neighbourhoods / cities "for all ages"; urban and physical/built environment determinants of health, well-being and participation of older people; inequalities and social determinants of health among the elderly; local observatories on health and ageing.