Sara Rodrigues
RESEARCHER
INVESTIGADORES
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
RESEARCHER
INVESTIGADORES
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
Nothing found.
Ongoing PhD supervisions
Nothing found.
Ricardo Duarte
RESEARCHER
INVESTIGADORES
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
Nothing found.
Ongoing PhD supervisions
Nothing found.
Teresa Rito
RESEARCHER
INVESTIGADORES
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
Nothing found.
Ongoing PhD supervisions
Nothing found.
Ana Cunha
RESEARCHER
INVESTIGADORES
accunha@bio.uminho.pt
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
Nothing found.
Ongoing PhD supervisions
Nothing found.
Diogo Coelho
RESEARCHER
INVESTIGADORES
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
Nothing found.
Ongoing PhD supervisions
Nothing found.
Fernanda Cássio
RESEARCHER
INVESTIGADORES
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
Nothing found.
Ongoing PhD supervisions
Artur Conde
RESEARCHER
INVESTIGADORES
Background
Artur Conde holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Minho, where he unveiled the role of polyols in grapevine drought tolerance. With 10 years of post-doctoral research, he has been researching plant biochemistry, biology and physiology, including grapevine-environment interaction, participating in many research projects (one as PI) and supervising numerous postgraduate students.
Research Interests
His research focuses on enhancing grapevine resilience and productivity through innovative bio-based strategies. He studies miPEPs’ role in protecting grapevines from pathogens and optimizing berry biochemistry for sustainable bioactive metabolite production. He also explores sustainable and bio-based practices to mitigate biotic and abiotic stresses, contributing to climate-resilient viticulture.
Keywords
grapevine-environment interaction, bio-based stress mitigation strategies, sustainable agriculture, micropeptides (miPEPs), climate-resilient viticulture, bioactive metabolites production
Ongoing research projects
Nothing found.
Ongoing PhD supervisions
Nothing found.
Rosana Alves
RESEARCHER
INVESTIGADORES
Background
Rosana Alves is a Junior Researcher at CBMA and an Assistant Professor at the Biology Department of University of Minho. Rosana completed a BSc in Biochemistry at University of Porto (2011), a MSc in Applied Biochemistry at University of Minho, in collaboration with University of Liverpool (2013), and a PhD in Molecular Cell Biology at the University of Minho, in collaboration with KU Leuven (2020). She has been a Visiting Researcher at University of Aberdeen (UK, 2015), UC Berkeley (USA, 2015), University of Exeter (UK, 2022) and KU Leuven (Belgium, 2018-2023).
Research Interests
Rosana focuses her Research on fungal pathogens and genetic programs governing host-microbe interactions, including murine models of gastrointestinal colonization. Over the past years, she has gathered experience and know-how in the fields of molecular cell biology, biochemistry, microbiology and immunology.
Keywords
environmental fungi, fungal infections, host-microbe interactions, yeast physiology, yeast genetics
Ongoing research projects
Nothing found.
Ongoing PhD supervisions
Nothing found.
Sandra Paiva
RESEARCHER
INVESTIGADORES
Background
She graduated in Biochemistry from the University of Porto (1995), received a Master degree in Molecular Genetics (1999) and a PhD in Sciences (2002), both from the University of Minho. She was a visiting PhD student at the Jacques Monod Institute and at the École Normale Supérieure (Paris), University of Madrid and University of Amsterdam. She was a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at the University of California, Berkeley. Currently, she is an Associate Professor with Habilitation (2021) at the University of Minho and the Pro-Rector for Scientific Projects and Research Management in the same institution.
Research Interests
Sandra Paiva is focused in dissecting the mechanisms by which nutrient transporters at the plasma membrane are regulated to influence metabolic adaptations, stress responses or pathobiology.
Keywords
metabolic and stress adaptations, fungal biology, nutrient transporters, cell and molecular biology, protein trafficking
Ongoing research projects
Nothing found.
Ongoing PhD supervisions
Nothing found.