Marisa began her professional life as a Burns Surgeon in Brazil. Looking for ways of improving patient care, she became involved in research in skin bioengineering (PhD), and in skin banking establishing the University of Sao Paulo Skin Bank under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency. She was President of the Latin American Association of Tissue Banks and advisor to the Brazilian Organ and Tissue Transplant authorities and national regulatory body (ANVISA) before moving to Australia, in 2007, to head the Donor Tissue Bank of Victoria, a multi tissue banking facility in Melbourne.

In 2011 she returned to academic life and has since undertaken diverse roles in public and professional bodies in Australia and overseas. She is an Associate Professor at Deakin University in Ethics and Professionalism, a Senior Lecturer at Monash University Surgery Department, an advisor to the Australian TGA - ACB Committee, a member to the ICCBBA – ITTAG Committee, a Member to the World Health Organization Expert Panel in Organ and Tissue Donation and a Member to the WHO Task Force on Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues. As of 2014, she holds the position of General Secretary of the World Union of Tissue Banking Associations - WUTBA.

Before her appointment to the OTA Board, she was a member to OTA Advisory Council from 2009 to 2016.