Maria Correia obtained a PhD in Biology in the Doctoral Program in Biology - Ecology, Evolution and Behavior in 2001 from the City University of New York (recognized iby the Universidade do Algarve in Biology, in the specialty of Microbiology). She received the Master's degree in Biology in 1996 at the same institution (CUNY) and a Degree in Marine Biology and Fisheries in 1994 from the University do Algarve. She has been a professor at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa since April 2001 and is currently Associate Professor of UCP at the Faculty of Dental Medicine in Viseu, where she coordinates the first cycle of the Integrated Master's degree in Dental Medicine, where she teaches Molecular Genetics and Oral Microbiology.
She has been part of the Interdisciplinary Research Center in Health where she is a member of the SalivaTec laboratory. Her research interests include the ecology of the human microbiome and its relationship with the host. She develops research in the community with collaborations in the Senior Activity program of the municipality of Viseu and in partnership with the Association for Developmental Disorders and Autism (APPDA)-Viseu. She led the project "Molecular insights into Autism" as a user of European infrastructure networks and integrates several research projects focused on the use of saliva as a diagnostic and monitoring fluid.