I have nurtured a strong interest in applied research throughout my career, always looking for novel approaches to health issues, with a particular emphasis on natural products, food science, nutrition, and sustainability. Research findings on these topics of interest have been emerging since my PhD studies at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC). This started with the publication of a patent model (PT106389) on innovative techniques for processing jellyfish for use in human food. Being the co-leader of the project "Studies on the utilization of C. tagi in health sciences," I began these studies early in my career at the Egas Moniz University Institute. I sought new collaborations, e.g., studies on hygienic conditions of artisanal cheese factories in Chile's Los Ríos region in collaboration with Universidad Austral de Chile.
I started my contractual relationship with Lusófona University in Lisbon in 2016, lecturing at Instituto Politécnico de Leiria and researching at Ton Duc Thang University in Vietnam. I was co-chair of the Scientific Committee of the 2016 International Congress on Food Safety, along with Professor Lluís Serra-Majem (https://www.renc.es/noticias.asp?cod=18&page=1&sec=9&v=&buscar=), and organized the 2017 Ibero-American Consensus on Low- and No-Calorie Sweeteners in Lisbon (https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/10/7/818). Some of my ongoing research projects include natural sweeteners in foods and drinks with ULPGC, Lapland University, and Coimbra University, plant meat substitutes with the University of Brasília (UNB), celiac patients' quality of life with the Polytechnic Institute of Viseu and UNB, and food sustainability and medicinal plants with Quaid-i-Azam University. More than 200 papers, 100 communications at international conferences, and also policy publications—such as the various documents produced by entities including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Government of Portugal, the Publications Office of the European Union, the United Nations, the World Health Organization, the Government of Italy, the European Food Safety Authority, Santé Publique France, and the UK Government—based on papers of which I am a co-author—showcase the outcomes of these and other collaborations.
Currently, as a professor at Lusófona University, an integrated member of the CBIOS and director of the Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition Sciences, I am implementing a Sensory Analysis Laboratory at the university, leading a recently funded research project (https://www.cyted.org/conteudo.php?idm=248&id_rede=537) on sustainable regional protein-rich foods, I am a team member of another international project on innovation for sustainability in the food value chain (https://www.cyted.org/conteudo.php?idm=248&id_rede=514), and I also belong to the team of the European project “CONTEMFood: Contaminants in Meat Replacement Products: A Contemporary Food Safety Perspective”, Grant no.: 2024-1.2.3-HU-RIZONT-2024-00098.
For over 10 years, I have taught at various national and international institutions, including the Lusófona University, the University of Coimbra, and the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. I have lectured and led advanced training for many students and supervised over 60 Bachelor’s and Master’s students in Food Science and Nutrition.
Some of the supervised students have made relevant achievements at an international level, such as the publication of impactful scientific papers (https://doi.org/10.1080/87559129.2015.1075213 and https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.12388) and winning awards at international conferences, such as the award for best oral communication at the CEFood Congress, which took place in Kiev in 2016.
I aimed to secure my students' future through job placement. For example, I supervised a student who became an assistant professor at Lusófona University, publishing 21 papers during her PhD.
I worked intensively to build teams and collaborations both within the institution and internationally. I fostered several international research projects, either as a principal investigator or collaborating member, often with strong partnerships with ULPGC, University of Brasília, Sejong University, Qassim University, Quaid-i-Azam University, Lapland University, and Regional University of Cariri, which has allowed the training of dozens of professionals who were later hired by the same institutions or leading companies. These international collaborations have opened several possibilities for team development and research innovation, making me a renowned researcher internationally who is often called for international talks and trainings. For example, I was recently awarded a 12,000 USD scholarship by the Indian Ministry of Education for a training course at the Central University of Haryana, India, on Food Security, Nutrition, and Innovations for students and professionals in the field.
