A veterinary doctor (MV) graduated from the University of Sao Paulo (USP), Brazil, with a special interest in anesthesia and pain management. Completed a residency in veterinary anesthesiology at the Sao Paulo State University (UNESP - Botucatu), Brazil. Obtained a Master's degree at the University of Sao Paulo with an international collaboration program (research externship in Canada). Currently, a Ph.D. student at the Université de Montréal working on the project: "Facial expressions of pain in cats - the Feline Grimace Scale".