She received her BSc degree in Chemistry (2001) from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Between 1998 and 2001 she had a scientific initiation grant (CNPq) and developed her research work in the synthesis and characterization of lanthanides complexes with organic ligands. In 2003 she received her master’s degree in chemistry from the same institution. From 2001 to 2003 had a master grant (CNPq) and developed the research work in the synthesis and characterization of zinc sulfides type Zn(1-X)MSX. She developed her Ph.D. (2008) in Chemistry (Synthesis of peptide ligands and Synthesis of peptide chitosan derivatives) at University of Porto with a FCT grant. Between 2009 and 2010 she had her PhD (FCT) in the Instituto Tecnológico e Nuclear de Lisboa. The work developed consisted in Synthesis of  DOTA-like chelator bearing a thiol pendant arm for labeling biomolecules with radiometals for in vivo diagnostic and cancer therapy. Between 2011 and 2012 had a visiting researcher grant (CAPES) at Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil in a PNPD project (MEC/CAPES e MCT/CNPq e MCT/FINEP – 2007, Micro e nanocompósitos cimentícios para aplicação em poços de petróleo). In 2013 started a post-doc grant (FCT) in collaboration between Adsorption and Adsorbent Materials Group from CQB (FCUL) and Chemical Engineering Reaction Group from REQUIMTE (UNL-FCT). Currently, Mary Batista is junior research at the Adsorption and Adsorbent Materials Group in CQE-FCUL. The research consists of the synthesis, post-synthesis modification of nanoporous materials and explores their potentialities as adsorbents in selective gas adsorption and for biomedical applications.