She has a Ph.D. in Biotechnology (Microbiology area, 2015), a master's degree in Food Science and Technology (2008) and a degree in Microbiology (2004) from the Universidade Católica Portuguesa. She is a researcher in Food Microbiology and teaches Good Laboratory Practices and General Microbiology I.

Her research interests focus particularly on food safety and bio-control strategies. She has authored or co-authored more than 50 internationally indexed publications and more than 70 communications at scientific congresses. She has been involved in supervising 10 master's theses and is currently supervising 3 master's theses and 6 doctoral theses. She ensures the logistics of the Food Microbiology laboratory and supervises undergraduate students in formal curricular units such as Project and extracurricular projects in the researchers' club. Alongside her research activities, she has also been invited to join the editorial board of two scientific journals and to be guest editor of six special issues in the area of Food Microbiology.

Joana has also been dedicated to disseminating science in the younger community. She is the leader of the CBQF Task Force called "Society Engagement", whose main goal is to communicate science to the community through the promotion of dissemination campaigns with schools and the organization of activities to captivate new students at different graduation levels, including young researchers.