Bio
Lillian Barros completed her Doctor Europeus PhD in Pharmacy – Nutrition and Bromatology at the University of Salamanca (2008), where she was awarded the prize for the best thesis of the Faculty of Pharmacy. She is currently a Principal Researcher at the Mountain Research Center (CIMO) at the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB). Her main research areas are (i) the extraction of bioactive compounds; (ii) the chemical characterization of natural matrices; (iii) the evaluation of bioactive properties (antioxidant, cytocompatible, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial); (iv) the development of new superfoods and functional ingredients; and (v) the valorization of agri-food by-products. Her work focuses on the use of ingredients and bioactive compounds in food products, adding value to the production chain and promoting their reuse within the food system - from agriculture to consumers. The results of her research have been transferred to the industrial sector, with which she maintains numerous collaborations with companies in the agri-food, cosmetic, and textile industries. This dynamic has also led to the creation of several spin-offs, including her participation in the founding of Tree Flowers Solutions.

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Sara F Vieira (SFV) is a biomedical engineer with a PhD in Tissue Engineering, Regenerative Medicine, and Stem Cells (2023). SFV’s multidisciplinary expertise spans natural matrix extraction, chemistry, cell culture, and molecular biology. Her research focuses on the extraction, identification, separation, and biological validation (e.g. cytocompatibility, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activity) of bioactive compounds from natural matrices as potential ingredients. She also investigates their mechanism of action to validate their potential. Her goal is to transform low-value crops into high-value formulations by recovering phytochemicals with significant medical, economic, and environmental impact.

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Bianca Albuquerque is a postdoctoral researcher at CIMO and SUSTEC, within the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB). She earned her PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, holds a master’s degree in Food Quality and Safety, and has a bachelor's degree in Food Engineering. Her research is devoted to optimizing extraction methods for the recovery of natural bioactive compounds from plant and fruit bio-residue, with the aim of unlocking their potential as high-value ingredients for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food, and related industries. To date, she has contributed to around 22 peer-reviewed publications in the field of bioactive products.

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Tayse holds a master’s degree and PhD in Food Science from the University of Campinas (BR), and is currently Junior researcher at the Centro de Investigação de Montanha (Portugal), where she develops research on the chemical and bioactive properties of food matrices, with emphasis on the characterization and identification of phytochemicals using chromatography and mass spectrometric techniques.

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Filipa Mandim holds a PhD in Pharmacy and Health from the University of Salamanca and is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança. Her research focuses on the valorization of natural resources, with a particular emphasis on cell-based assays to explore and elucidate the bioactive potential of natural compounds. She has published several articles in international journals and actively contributes to the scientific community as editor and reviewer.

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Sara F Vieira (SFV) is a biomedical engineer with a PhD in Tissue Engineering, Regenerative Medicine, and Stem Cells (2023). SFV’s multidisciplinary expertise spans natural matrix extraction, chemistry, cell culture, and molecular biology. Her research focuses on the extraction, identification, separation, and biological validation (e.g. cytocompatibility, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activity) of bioactive compounds from natural matrices as potential ingredients. She also investigates their mechanism of action to validate their potential. Her goal is to transform low-value crops into high-value formulations by recovering phytochemicals with significant medical, economic, and environmental impact.

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João C.M. Barreira is a Researcher at the Associate Laboratory for Sustainability and Technology in Mountains Regions (SusTEC), Polytechnic Institute of Bragança. He holds a Degree in Biotechnological Engineering, an MSc in Chemistry and a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Porto. He completed two postdoctoral fellowships (2011-2017) focused on the bioactive properties and molecular profiles of natural extracts and individual compounds. He has taught in 31 curricular units across 35 semesters and was an examiner for 10 PhD theses and 30 MSc dissertations. He authored 157 papers, accumulating over 6,600 citations and an h-index of 44 (Scopus). He has revised more than 430 papers for 67 journals and 10 book proposals. He was researcher in 20 (11 international) funded projects, 3 of which as PI or co-PI, and was formerly Editor of Food Chemistry and Food Chemistry X (July 2021-October 2023). He has been the Senior Editor of Food Chemistry X since November 2023. His expertise encompasses natural products and food chemistry, bioactive compounds, nutraceuticals and functionals foods, molecular characterization, emerging technologies and sustainability, and advanced statistical analysis.

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Alexandre Gonçalves has a PhD in Genetics, has developed research in diverse thematic areas, including efforts in the microbiology, genomic, and proteomic characterization of antimicrobial resistant bacteria present in wildlife, innovation in the food sector through the valorization of food and agro-food by-products and new innovative agricultural practices and technologies that promote the sustainable development of Mediterranean crops in adverse climatic conditions. Currently works at the Collaborative Laboratory Mountains of Research – MORE, as Scientific Director for Bio-based products and processes, helping MORE to connect with the agri-food business sector.