Jorge Leitão received his Ph.D. degree in Biotechnology from the former Technical University of Lisbon (now Univerisity of Lisbon), Portugal. J.H. Leitão is Associate Professor of the Biological Sciences scientific and pedagogical area at the Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico (University of Lisbon), Portugal. His current research interests are focused on the post-transcription regulation of bacterial gene expression, especially on the roles played by small non-coding regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) and RNA chaperones on the biology and pathogenesis of bacteria of the Burkholderia cepacia complex bacteria. Other research interests include exopolysacharide biosynthesis by Gram-negative bacteria (including the functional analysis of enzymes and proteins involved in biosynthesis and regulation), resistance to antimicrobials and development of novel antimicrobial molecules and strategies, and the molecular characterization of microbial populations of ecological, industrial or health interest.