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.

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.

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

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.

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.

biotechnology, biorefinery systems, algae biomass, enzymes, value-added products

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).

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.

environmental fungi, fungal infections, host-microbe interactions, yeast physiology, yeast genetics

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.

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.

metabolic and stress adaptations, fungal biology, nutrient transporters, cell and molecular biology, protein trafficking

Margarida Casal is Full Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Minho. She obtained her degree in Biology from Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon and PhD degree in Biology from University of Minho. Head of the Center of Molecular and Environmental Biology (2013-16).

After more than 30 years working as a biologist, my scientific activities have consistently focused on the structural and functional analysis of proteins, uncovering the molecular features that enable specific functions in living systems. My multidisciplinary team has extensive expertise in developing biotech solutions aimed at replacing petroleum-based materials (such as plastics) with natural alternatives.

microbial genetics, molecular biotechnology, synthetic protein biotechnology.

Tony Collins has a BSc in Biological Sciences and MSc in Biotechnology, and completed a PhD in Biochemistry at the University of Liege, Belgium in 2005 before going on to pursue a post-doctoral study at the same University. He completed an EMBO long-term fellowship at the ITQB, Nova University Lisbon, Portugal, in 2009, and is presently a principal researcher at the CBMA, University of Minho.

Tony Collins is a protein scientist principally focused on deciphering the molecular determinants of protein/enzyme structure, function and stability, and on developing these for application. He works in all areas of the protein bioprospection process, from the screening of environmental samples, to the production, purification, characterisation, engineering and application of proteins/enzymes.

proteins, enzymes, extremophiles, bioprospection, protein engineering, protein production