I have a PhD in Mol.Biology and am an auxiliary researcher at UAlg, teaching Biology and Metagenomics. My research focus on the diversity, roles and disruption of fish hormone systems by pollutants, using in vitro/in vivo assays and OMICs, mainly applied to EDC risks, aquaculture and food safety, and on the diversity and spreading of microbes in the marine environment and organisms. I was the PI of project E2SCALE (Pt) on non-invasive EDC risk assessment using fish scales and GalPub (Pt, fish reproduction), published 48 articles, am part of the AIEC (Iberian Comparative Endocrinology) board and the main organizer of the MODEL-EDC workshop and network. I coordinate the MicroWaste project (awarded by the Assoc.Chelonia/Coca-Cola Mares Circulares 2023) in collaboration with companies and schools to monitor during 2023 micropollutants, microplastics and microbes in the Ria Formosa natural park in the Algarve, Portugal.

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Theses:

• 2006, "Diversity, expression and mechanism of action of estrogen receptors in sea bream, Sparus auratus", PhD in Molecular Biology, University of Algarve (mixed grant with Cardiff University, UK):
• 2001, Degree in Biotechnological Engineering, University of Algarve (Grade 17/20)

Research interests:

Biology of reproduction; estrogenic effects, mechanisms of action and endocrine disruption in fish; mineral metabolism; the skin-scale barrier- immune, mineral and osmotic roles and their endocrine regulation and disruption; skin pigmentation; fish microbiomes in aquaculture, how are they impacted by culture conditions and how can they influence fish products quality.

Main approaches:

Comparative Endocrinology; Molecular Biology; Fish in vivo and in vitro assays; Transcriptomics; Proteomics; Metagenomics; Bioinformatics.

Participation in projects:

• 2023, Mares-Circulares (Assoc.Chelonia/Coca-Cola) prize, awarded to project "MicroWaste: joining academia, companies and schools against marine microwaste"; Role: PI, pollutants and metagenomics developments, interaction with schools and with companies.

• Since 2022, EU H2020 project "ISIDORe, Integrated Services for Infectious Diseases Outbreak Research", agreement 101046133; role: team member (metagenomics and infrastructure access to CCMAR

• Since 2020, H2020 project "Aquaexcel 3.0, Aquaculture infrastructures for Excelence in European Fish Research", agreement 871108; role: team member (application of metagenomics techniques to fish larvae)

• 2020-2023, FCT (PT) and CampusFrance (FR) Transnational Cooperation program project "OESTROFISH: Effects of Estradiol effects on the acquired immune system", PESSOA-PHC Ref. 44642RM, with the Univ.Havre-Normandie, France; role: PI of the Portuguese part

• Since 2020, RISE project "CHTHYS: OptImization of novel value CHains for fish and seafood by developing an integraTed sustainable approacH for improved qualitY, safety and waSte reduction", 2020-MSCA-RISE-2019-872217; role: team member (metagenomics and proteomics related to fish food quality, food processing optomization, development of microbial biomarkers of freshness and safety)

• 2021-2022, national project "SEAFOODQual-Application of Innovative and Sustainable Technologies for Processing and Quality Monitoring of Sea Food Products", MAR-01.03.01-FEAMP-0050, role: team member (metagenomics and interaction with companies)

• Since 2020, FCT/ Macao Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT) project "PlastiFish: Methods, effects and risk analysis of microplastics in fish production", FDCT0004/2019/AP; role: team member (fish assays with pollutants)

• Since 2020, Interreg France (Channel) England project "RedPol-Reduction of Pollution by endocrine disrupting compounds at source: innovative products for the commercial lab market"; role: collaborator with the Univ- Havre, France, development of in vitro estrogen receptor activation assays

• Since 2020, EU project "FRUALGAE: Sustainable technologies and methodologies to improve quality and extend product shelf life in the Mediterranean agro-food supply chain", PRIMA/0011/2019, role: team member (metagenomics)

• 2018 to 2021, national project ALG-01-0145-FEDER-030262, "ODORACID: neuronal effects of ocean acidification in a temperate fish species, Solea senegalensis"   (Role: team member, 15% dedication)

• 2017 to 2022,  EU project H2020-SFS2016-2-727610, "PerformFISH: Consumer Driven Production: Integrating Innovative Approaches for Competitive and Sustainable Performance across the Mediterranean Aquaculture Value Chain",  (Ongoing; Role: team member)

• 2016 to 2019: EU project H2020-MSCA-RISE-2015-691102, "Algae4a&b: Development of Microalgae-based novel high added value products for the Cosmetic and Aquaculture industry" (Ongoing; Role: team member)

• 2016 to 2019: FCT/EU project COFASP/0002/2015, "Sushifish: SUStainable production of HIgh quality aquaculture FISH using innovative tools and production strategies and integrating novel processing methods and cold chain management" (Role: team member)
• 2013 to 2015: national project PTDC/AAG-GLO/4003/2012, "E2SCALE: Scaling-down estrogenic responses in fish" (Role: Principal Investigator, 35% dedication)
• 2013 to 2015: national project PTDC/MAR-BIO/3890/2012, "GALPUB: A novel regulator of puberty in fish?" (Ongoing; Role: Principal Investigator, 35% dedication)
• 2013 to 2015: national project PTDC/BIA-ANM/4225/2012, "Phos-fate in fish: Through guts, bones and kidneys" (Role: team member, 15% dedication)
• 2012 to 2015: national project PTDC/MAR/121279/2010, "Parathyroid hormone-related protein and Stanniocalcin: new metabolic hormones?" (Role: team member, 15% dedication)
• 2010 to 2013: national project PTDC/MAR/113608/2009, "Characterization of olfactory plasticity in the European eel" (Role: team member, 15% dedication)
• 2009 to 2013: European Union 7FP integrating project "LYFECYCLE -Building a biological knowledge-base on fish lifecycles for competitive, sustainable European aquaculture" (http://lifecycle-fp7.eu/) (Role: team member, partner CCMAR, work package4, task 4.2.8: "Large scale transcriptomics of precocious pubertal/non-pubertal sea bass to discover novel related genes")
• 2009 to 2012: national project PTDC/CVT/104750/2008, "Oocyte maturation in fish: Paracrine regulation by BMP-15 and GDF-9" (Role: team member, 10% dedication)
• 2006 to 2009: European Union 6FP project "FINEFISH-Improving sustainability of European aquaculture by control of malformations" (http://www.aquamedia.org/finefish/) (Role: collaborator)
• 2004 to 2008: European network of excellence "Marine Genomics Europe- Implementation of high throughput genomics approaches to investigate the functioning of marine ecosystems and the biology of marine organisms” (Role: team member, Fish and Shellfish node partner 21, CCMAR)
• 2002 to 2005:  national project POCTI/CVT/39355/2001, The estrogen receptor in sea bream (Sparus aurata) reproduction: diversity, expression, mechanisms and physiological actions (Role: team member, 100% dedication)