Dr Barbara Marinho was born in Natal, Brazil, and is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, and English. Driven by a deep desire to make a positive impact on people’s lives, she pursued a career in medicine. Over the past five years, Dr Marinho has established herself as a dedicated and compassionate healthcare professional, with a diverse background in medical education and clinical practice.

Dr Marinho qualified as a doctor at Universidade Potiguar in Natal. Her academic journey is distinguished by the completion of two intercalated degrees—one in Biomedical Sciences from Queen Mary University of London (2016) and another at Universidad CEU San Pablo de Madrid. Her pursuit of excellence led her to undertake further postgraduate studies, including the Principles and Practice of Clinical Research at Harvard University (2020), a Master in Business Administration from the Quantic School of Business and Technology (2024), and a degree in Healthcare Leadership and Commissioning from the University of Brighton (2024). Dr Marinho also completed the NHS Leadership and Education Fellowship in Global Health at Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in 2024.

Throughout her career, Dr Marinho has worked in a variety of healthcare settings, including Primary Care, GP surgeries, Emergency Departments in both public and private hospitals, and as a Clinical Sub-Investigator at the University of Oxford. Her commitment to global health is evident in her role at the Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief Department at the World Health Organization in Washington, DC, and as a fellow in the prestigious course of Principles of Aviation and Space Medicine at NASA Johnson Space Center.

In the United Kingdom, Dr Marinho served as a Research Lead for Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and as Quality and Governance Manager at DMC Healthcare. Her expertise in clinical governance ensured the highest standards of care across multiple NHS Trusts.

Dr Marinho focuses on common general conditions, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, respiratory infections, and cardiovascular diseases, among others. Her approach to patient care prioritises thorough communication, ensuring that patients feel informed, heard, and valued.

In addition to her clinical work, Dr Marinho is an active member of the Brazilian Society of Community and Family Medicine and has received numerous awards, including the Líder Estudar Fellowship and the International Collaborative Clinical Research Scholarship from Harvard University.

Outside of work, Dr Marinho is passionate about education, business, and governance, and enjoys playing volleyball and tennis, having competed in college championships in Madrid. Her dedication to medicine is deeply personal, motivated by a commitment to honour the memory of her late sister by providing the best possible care to her patients.