Sofia Crisóstomo holds a PhD in Public Policy from Iscte – University Institute of Lisbon, a master's degree in Development studies from the same institution and a degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Lisbon. She also has postgraduate training in Health Economics (University of York) and in the Economic Evaluation of Medicines (ISEG – Lisbon School of Economics and Management). Her research focuses on public participation and on citizen and patient involvement in health policy, on collaborative governance in health systems, and on the role of digital platforms in civic mobilisation. She has written a number of peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters.

She co-coordinates the action-research project MAIS PARTICIPAÇÃO melhor saúde (More Participation, Better Health), which received an award from the Portuguese Ministry of Health. The project led to the Charter for Public Participation in Health, which was approved by the Portuguese Parliament. She previously advised the Portuguese Parliament on health and pharmaceutical policy and was a member of the committee that revised the Basic Law on Health. She has also sat on the National Health Council and on the Board of Directors of the National Institute of Public Administration (INA). As an international consultant to the World Health Organization, she supported the revision of Angola's Basic Law on Health and promoted civil society participation in Guinea-Bissau.

Alongside her research and consultancy work, she has taught in higher education in health systems and policy, pharmaceutical policy and public participation, and is regularly invited to speak at conferences and seminars on these subjects.