Álvaro is a senior associate researcher at the Centre for Predictive and Preventive Genetics (CGPP), which is part of the i3S at the University of Porto, under the Stimulus for Scientific Employment scheme of the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) (CEECIND/02615/2017). His research interests lie in the areas of family communication about genetic risk, genetic counselling, and attitudes towards the sharing of genetic and genomic information and the associated practices and policies. Furthermore, he is interested in the broader psychosocial aspects of genetic testing and the provision of support to individuals and families living with inherited genetic conditions.

He is the principal investigator of a project funded by the FCT (2022.04025.PTDC, https://decide.i3s.up.pt) on how best to facilitate the disclosure of risk information to patients' family members in the context of genetic counselling (2023-2026). Additionally, he serves as a country lead for the Wellcome Trust-funded project on global public attitudes toward genomic information sharing, "Your DNA, Your Say."

Álvaro holds a PhD in Health Sciences and Technology from the University of Aveiro and a Licentiate Degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Coimbra. He is a chartered clinical and health psychologist and psychotherapist, accredited by the Portuguese Psychologists' Association, and a certified systemic family and couples therapist, accredited by the Portuguese Society of Family Therapy. As a clinical psychologist, he integrates the multidisciplinary team of the pre-symptomatic testing protocol for late-onset neurological diseases at CGPP, one of the clinical platforms of i3S.

Additionally, he is an active member of the European Society of Human Genetics (ESHG), where he serves on the Ethics and Policy Committee and the Scientific Programme Committee (as part of the Ethical, Legal and Psychosocial Aspects of Genetics advisory group). Álvaro also contributes to the Genetic Counselling & Testing working group of the European Huntington Disease Network and the i3S Committee for Ethical and Responsible Conduct of Research. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the Journal of Community Genetics and serves as a Senior Editor of the Annals of Human Genetics.

He has a long-standing collaborative relationship with patient advocacy organisations. Álvaro frequently delivers teaching modules in Master's and PhD programmes in Health and Clinical Psychology and Genetic Counselling. To date, he has co-supervised one PhD thesis (funded by FCT) and twelve MSc dissertations to completion. He currently coordinates the work of one postdoctoral researcher and co-supervises two PhD theses (both funded by FCT) as well as three MSc dissertations.

He is available to respond to inquiries regarding supervision requests for MSc and PhD students engaged in research on the psychosocial aspects of inherited genetic conditions.

https://www.cienciavitae.pt/portal/071F-14C3-C6FD