Rui V. Simões joined i3S (Institute for Research and Innovation in Health, Porto, Portugal) as an associate researcher in the Neuroengineering and Computational Neuroscience Laboratory in 2022. In 2023, he established and has since led the Preclinical MRI Unit.

Rui holds a BsH in Biochemistry (University of Coimbra, Portugal, 2003) and has specialized training in preclinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy of cancer models, acquired during his PhD (University of Coimbra, Portugal, and Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain, 2004–2009) and postdoctoral research (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA, 2010–2013).

His research has focused on the quantitative characterization of cellular and tissue metabolism under pathological conditions, spanning fetal growth restriction (Fetal Medicine Research Center, Barcelona, Spain, 2013–2017), neurodegeneration (Clinic Hospital, Barcelona, Spain, 2015–2017), and oncology (Champalimaud Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal, 2017–2022).

At i3S, Rui bridges the Neurobiology and Neurologic Disorders and Cancer programs, integrates the Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center “Raquel Seruca” consortium, and fosters collaborations with leading clinical centers in the region, including São João and Santo António hospitals. With a clear focus on translational imaging, he aims to implement and validate new MRI methodologies for non-invasive characterization of tumor phenotype, relevant to the clinical management of patients during diagnosis, treatment planning, and follow-up.

Rui has authored 35 peer-reviewed publications (17 as first or corresponding author; Scopus h-index 17), presented 81 peer-reviewed abstracts at international scientific meetings (including 23 oral presentations: 21 as first-author; 2 as last author), and delivered 22 invited talks.  Since he joined i3S, he has successfully trained or mentored 16 individuals, including two master's students and an undergraduate student currently under his supervision.

As an active member of the MRI research community, he co-founded the Iberian Chapter of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) and serves as an Executive and Management Board member of the “Glioma MRI Work Group” within the European Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and Biology (ESMRMB), where he co-leads the Preclinical MRI Task Force. He is also an active member of the European Society for Molecular Imaging (ESMI).