Emanuel Novais is an Orthopedic Resident at Hospital Litoral Alentejano in Portugal. During his MD/PhD, he specialized in studying the intervertebral disc degenerative sub-phenotype and exploring the link between natural aging, senescence, and regeneration processes. Currently, he is continuing his research in Dr. Makarand Ribud's lab at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University (USA). Through his research, he has gained valuable insight into the pathophysiology and regeneration processes associated with disc degeneration, leaving a significant impact on the fields of orthopedics and spine. He has published several research articles in prestigious and internationally recognized peer-reviewed journals, including Bone Research, Nature Reviews Rheumatology, Nature Communications, Matrix Biology, among others. One of his main interest is to bridge the gap between research and clinical practice, therefore unraveling mysteries of back pain and disc degeneration.