Marlene Nunes Silva is an Associate Professor and Director of the Master’s Program in Exercise and Health at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Lusófona University-Lisbon, with a background in clinical psychology and a Ph.D. in Exercise and Health (2010). She has authored over 88 international peer-reviewed articles (Scopus h-index 24, >5,550 citations, 64% in the top 25% journals by CiteScore), co-authored several national and international books and book chapters, and received a Young Investigator Award in Sports Sciences.   She is/was part of the grant team of several competitively funded European and national research projects  (e.g.HORIZON-MSCA-2022-DN-01, Grant 101120480; Horizon 2020, Grant 101095423; ERASMUS-SPORT-2021-SCP 101050871; PTDC/SAU-DES/2865/2020; PTDC/SAUDES/0166/2021; ILIND, ULHT 2022; ILIND/F+/EI/02/2020).

She combines a strong research profile with leadership and policy, and knowledge‑translation roles, having served as Director (2019–2024) and Adjunct Director (2017–2019) of the National Programme for Physical Activity Promotion at the Portuguese Directorate-General of Health. With her team she has led the development of national counselling tools and campaigns to promote physical activity (PA) at the national level. This includes creating and expanding an e‑learning course on brief PA counselling for the National Health Service, and launching and editing PA Manuals for special populations. She has coordinated and supported pilot projects such as PA consultations in primary care units of the National Health System. She has also played a strategic role in national and international policy and expert groups, including the Monitoring Committee for the National Health Plan 2021–2030, consultant panels for the Portuguese 24‑Hour Movement Guidelines, and World Health Organization working groups on mass‑media campaigns and the Global Manual for mActive, as well as a consultant for school‑ and municipality‑based pilot programmes.

Her work bridges science, practice, and policy, aiming to create scalable, evidence-based strategies for active and healthy living both in overall and clinical populations (e.g. Cancer Survivors, Diabetes, Depression, Overweight).

As an educator and mentor, she supervises and co-supervises master’s (18) and PhD theses (8- 3 awarded with FCT grants; 1 Marie-Curie fellowship), participates frequently in academic juries, and develops pedagogical materials, handbooks, and digital resources  and practical tools to support training in health behavior change for health and exercise professionals. She is also a certified trainer in Health Behaviour Change(CCPFC/RFO-24239/08), and has extensive experience as an invited speaker and trainer in national and international conferences, postgraduate programs, and community initiatives. Her profile is marked by a commitment to knowledge translation, expressed through community outreach, media collaboration, and the development of practical tools that make scientific evidence accessible and actionable for professionals and citizens.

Marlene Nunes Silva is an Associate Professor and Director of the Master’s Program in Exercise and Health at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Lusófona University-Lisbon, with a background in clinical psychology and a Ph.D. in Exercise and Health (2010). She has authored over 88 international peer-reviewed articles (Scopus h-index 24, >5,550 citations, 64% in the top 25% journals by CiteScore), co-authored several national and international books and book chapters, and received a Young Investigator Award in Sports Sciences.   She is/was part of the grant team of several competitively funded European and national research projects  (e.g.HORIZON-MSCA-2022-DN-01, Grant 101120480; Horizon 2020, Grant 101095423; ERASMUS-SPORT-2021-SCP 101050871; PTDC/SAU-DES/2865/2020; PTDC/SAUDES/0166/2021; ILIND, ULHT 2022; ILIND/F+/EI/02/2020).

She combines a strong research profile with leadership and policy, and knowledge‑translation roles, having served as Director (2019–2024) and Adjunct Director (2017–2019) of the National Programme for Physical Activity Promotion at the Portuguese Directorate-General of Health. With her team she has led the development of national counselling tools and campaigns to promote physical activity (PA) at the national level. This includes creating and expanding an e‑learning course on brief PA counselling for the National Health Service, and launching and editing PA Manuals for special populations. She has coordinated and supported pilot projects such as PA consultations in primary care units of the National Health System. She has also played a strategic role in national and international policy and expert groups, including the Monitoring Committee for the National Health Plan 2021–2030, consultant panels for the Portuguese 24‑Hour Movement Guidelines, and World Health Organization working groups on mass‑media campaigns and the Global Manual for mActive, as well as a consultant for school‑ and municipality‑based pilot programmes.

Her work bridges science, practice, and policy, aiming to create scalable, evidence-based strategies for active and healthy living both in overall and clinical populations (e.g. Cancer Survivors, Diabetes, Depression, Overweight).

As an educator and mentor, she supervises and co-supervises master’s (18) and PhD theses (8- 3 awarded with FCT grants; 1 Marie-Curie fellowship), participates frequently in academic juries, and develops pedagogical materials, handbooks, and digital resources  and practical tools to support training in health behavior change for health and exercise professionals. She is also a certified trainer in Health Behaviour Change(CCPFC/RFO-24239/08), and has extensive experience as an invited speaker and trainer in national and international conferences, postgraduate programs, and community initiatives. Her profile is marked by a commitment to knowledge translation, expressed through community outreach, media collaboration, and the development of practical tools that make scientific evidence accessible and actionable for professionals and citizens.