Sara Rodrigues
RESEARCHER
RESEARCHERS
Background
Sara Rodrigues graduated in Biology (2009) from the University of Aveiro (UA) and holds a PhD in Biology (2018) from the Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto (UP). She performed her PhD in Biology at FCUP (UP), in collaboration with CIIMAR (UP) and UA (2013/2018). After a researcher position (2019-2025) at CIIMAR, she joined the University of Minho as an auxiliary researcher (since 2025).
Research Interests
Sara Rodrigues’s research focuses on aquatic ecology and ecotoxicology, addressing the impacts of pollution and climate change on ecosystems. Using laboratory and field tools, she studies aquatic organisms as ecological indicators, applying bioassays and biomarkers to assess responses to contaminants. This integrative approach supports sustainability goals and fosters science engagement.
Keywords
aquatic pollution, stress ecology, aquatic organisms, multiple stressors, bioassays, biomarkers
Ongoing research projects
Ongoing PhD supervisions
Nothing found.
Luara Simões
Background
Luara Simões holds a PhD in Microbiology (2019) from the Federal University of Lavras/University of Minho. She was a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Minho (2020-2023), contributing to projects in bioactive compounds and DNA barcoding. In 2024, she became a Junior Researcher at CIIMAR, focusing on microalgae-based aquafeeds. She is currently an Assistant Researcher at the University of Minho, working on the STOParasites project under the PRR-Blue Bioeconomy.
Research Interests
Her research focuses on DNA barcoding, and microbial bioactive compounds, emphasizing sustainable marine resource management and high-throughput molecular methodologies. She is currently involved in a project that aims to optimize molecular methodologies to track fish parasites and contribute to the sustainable management of marine resources, ensuring impactful applications of molecular tools in real-world challenges.
Keywords
DNA barcoding, fish parasites, marine resource management, microbial metabolism, bioactive compounds
Ongoing research projects
Ongoing PhD supervisions
Nothing found.
Fangyuan Zheng
Background
Fangyuan Zheng graduated in Chemical Engineering in 2014 at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). In 2016, she attained a MSc in Chemical Engineering from UPV/EHU. In 2023, she concluded the PhD in Materials Science and Technology at BCMaterials and Macromolecular Chemistry Group (Labquimac) of UPV/EHU. Currently, she is a Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow at CBMA.
Research Interests
She has a solid knowledge in removal of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) such as pharmaceuticals by photocatalytic process and a wide experience in the nanomaterials and nanocomposite membranes development and characterisation. Currently, her research focuses on developing 3D printing natural/synthetic polymeric multifunctional membranes to remove persistent contaminants PFAs in water matrices.
Keywords
contaminants of emerging concern, nanomaterials, nanocomposite membranes, photocatalysis, water remediation, 3D printing technologies
Ongoing research projects
Ongoing PhD supervisions
Nothing found.
Ricardo Duarte
RESEARCHER
RESEARCHERS
Background
Ricardo Franco-Duarte has a BSc in Biology (2005, University of Porto) and completed his MSc in Molecular Genetics in 2008 (University of Minho), achieving the highest score (20/20). After his PhD (2014, University of Minho), he received two post-doc fellowships. Since 2023 he is an assistant researcher at CBMA, under a CEEC-Ind contract from FCT, obtained as the national top position with the maximum score.
Research Interests
Ricardo Franco-Duarte’s interests focus on microbial biotechnology, blending experimental and computational methods to advance our understanding of microbial systems. His work integrates omics and data science, enabling multi and cross-omics approaches to study microbial diversity. In the last years, his research allowed to unravel particular metabolic signatures of non-conventional yeasts, in environmental contexts.
Keywords
omics, data science, computational biology, artificial intelligence, microbial biotechnology, bioproduction of added-value compounds
Ongoing research projects
Ongoing PhD supervisions
Viviana Martins
Background
Viviana Martins earned her PhD in Plant Biology in 2014, by University of Minho, funded by FCT (mixed grant SFRH/BD/64587/2009), with periods abroad in University of California Davis (USA), and in CBBC (Tunisia). VM started her post-doc in 2014, in IBMC (i3S) of University of Porto, as grantee of two research projects, and was then awarded a FCT post-doc grant (SFRH/BPD/107905/2015) from late 2015 to 2018. In 2019, she was hired as Post-doctoral Junior Researcher in CBMA, where she currently affiliated.
Research Interests
Viviana Martins research lines are centered on three main research topics: 1) optimization of vineyard mineral supplements for improving grape berry and wine quality (2015 to present); 2) exploitation and preservation of the microbial terroir towards the production of wines with high typicity (2021 to present); 3) optimization of the use of native grape berry microbial strains as biocontrol agents for sustainable agriculture (2022 to present).
Keywords
agricultural biotechnology, grape berry quality, metabolome plasticity, microbial fingerprint, stress response, viticulture, wine aroma
Ongoing research projects
Ongoing PhD supervisions
Teresa Rito
RESEARCHER
RESEARCHERS
Background
Holds a BSc in Biology (University of Porto), an MSc in Analytical Bioscience (University Huddersfield/University Leeds), and a PhD from the School of Tropical Medicine (University Liverpool) specializing in mycobacteria. She received an FCT postdoctoral position on mycobacteria and is currently working on fish-associated pathogens using metabarcoding. She is an Assistant Researcher, a position granted by the FCT in the sixth edition of the national CEEC Individual contest, to study mycobacteria in marine environments.
Research Interests
Her research focuses on genomics and the development of bioinformatics tools to enhance genetic analysis in microbial and human studies, often finding parallels between these fields. She has experience with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. marinum models, microbiology training at the Royal Hospital in Liverpool, and postdoctoral work on human evolution and bioinformatics at IPATIMUP, ICVS, and CBMA, emphasizing genomic analysis and mycobacterial diversity.
Keywords
genomics, computational data analysis, environmental mycobacteria, microbial studies, marine environment metabarcoding.
Ongoing research projects
Ongoing PhD supervisions
Ana Cunha
Background
Ana Cunha holds a BSc in Biology (Univ Lisboa), a MSc in Plant Production and Forestry Improvement (Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Univ Lisboa) and a PhD in Biology (UMinho). She is Assistant Professor at Department of Biology, School of Sciences of UMinho and a CBMA member.
Research Interests
Sustainable agrifood chains and efficient use of natural resources: focusing on plant-based natural products, as propolis and compost, as source of amendments, biopesticides and bio-additives for food conservation, promoting the one health and circular economy mottos. This implies testing for greener extraction protocols, bioactivities against microbial phytopathogens and weeds, using in vitro experiments and field trials.
Keywords
bio-based control of crop pests and diseases, organic waste and residues as resources, in vitro and field assays using plant models, crops and weeds
Ongoing research projects
Ongoing PhD supervisions
Nothing found.
Diogo Coelho
Background
Diogo Coelho is a Geneticist and Biotechnologist (2013, UTAD), with a MSc in Technologic, Comparative and Molecular Genetics (2015, UTAD) and a PhD in Veterinary Sciences with specialization in Biological and Biomedical Sciences (2022, University of Lisbon). Between 2022 and 2023 he was a postdoc fellow at CBMA – University of Minho, where is currently an Invited Auxiliary Researcher.
Research Interests
He is working on implementing new biorefinery systems for the advanced processing of algal biomass to new value-added products. Through different algal biomass processing methods, the main goal is the optimized extraction of different algal compounds using a biorefinery system and its subsequent transformation into value-added products using enzymes, providing the valorisation of macroalgae.
Keywords
biotechnology, biorefinery systems, algae biomass, enzymes, value-added products
Ongoing research projects
Ongoing PhD supervisions
Nothing found.
Fernanda Cássio
Background
She holds a BSc in Biology (Univ Porto) and a PhD in Microbiology ((UMinho). She is a Full professor at UMinho and she develops research at the Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability (IB-S), and belongs to the ARNET Associate Laboratory board (Aquatic Research Network). She represents the Institute for Science and Innovation for Bio-sustainability into the Action for the Clima from the Municipality of Braga, and she was designated as vice-President. She was director of the Center for Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA) for 6 years.
Research Interests
Research has been focused on assessing effects of persistent and emergent contaminant, such as metals, nanoparticles, pharmaceuticals, micro/nanoplastics and fungicides in freshwater ecosystems, across detrital food webs. Over the last years, she has been studying the impacts of emerging contaminants and unravels their cellular targets and mechanisms of response, using omics.
Keywords
impacts of emerging contaminants, molecular targets and mechanisms, aquatic food-webs
Ongoing research projects
Ongoing PhD supervisions
Hernâni Gerós
Background
Graduated in Biology from the University of Porto (1990). PhD in Sciences from the University of Minho (1999). Currently Associate Professor with Habilitation in the Department of Biology (since 2012). International experience as a visiting professor at various European universities and as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of California, Davis (USA).
Research Interests
Solute transport and metabolism related to plant stress responses, omics analysis of grapevine-environment interactions, and metabolomic and microbial networks influencing grape berry development, environmental stress resilience and wine quality. Disease management with eco-friendly approaches for sustainable agriculture.
Keywords
membrane transport, grapevine-environment interaction, disease management, sustainable agriculture
