Biology formation from the University of Minho and with an MSc in Biotechnology from the University of Lisbon, Daniel has joined GreenCoLab as a wastewater treatment technician and is based in the National Laboratory of Energy and Geology (LNEG). Beforehand, he performed research on low-cost harvesting applications for Allmicroalgae (Pataias, Portugal) and worked as an inoculum technician at Buggypower (Porto Santo, Madeira), where he operated and managed the inoculum bioreactors of the factory. Daniel has also gained knowledge of microalgae physiology and molecular biology while doing his MSc thesis at Wageningen University. He joined GreenCoLab at the beginning of 2020 as a wastewater treatment technician, is established in the National Laboratory of Energy and Geology (LNEG) and has the key role to use microalgae to treat and valorise different wastewater streams. Currently, he is enrolled in a PhD, with GreenCoLab, being involved in the Aquaculture and Strain improvement field.

Madalena is a GreenCoLAB researcher since 2019 based at the company ALGAplus, where she is a PhD student (University of Aveiro) and macroalgae production technician. She has a BSc degree in Biology from the University of Lisbon and a MSc degree in Aquaculture from the University of Algarve. Madalena has been working with algae for the last six years, having gained experience in the extraction and characterization of bioactive compounds and breeding and cultivation techniques. She is now mainly focused on the field of biobanking, strain improvement and domestication of novel species of macroalgae and her PhD is dedicated to the characterization and improvement of farmed Atlantic Nori species.

Bernardo holds a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Coimbra and an MSc in Biotechnology from Nova University Lisbon. In 2018, he defended his master’s thesis on the heterotrophic cultivation of Haematococcus pluvialis after working on it at the research unit of Allmicroalgae SA. Following his defense, he continued at Allmicroalgae SA as a fermentation technician, gaining extensive experience in the heterotrophic cultivation of microalgae, from lab to industrial scale.

In late 2021, he joined GreenCoLab as part of the PERFORMALGAE project, focusing on the hydrolysis of microalgal biomass. Currently, as a PhD student at GreenCoLab, CCMAR, and CESAM, his work centers on developing novel products from algae biomass through a biorefinery approach, leveraging his extensive experience in microalgae cultivation.

Pedro holds an MSc in Bioengineering from the Engineering Faculty of the University of Porto, specializing in Biological Engineering. He completed his master’s thesis in 2019 at Allmicroalgae S.A., within the Research and Development unit. Following this, he continued at the company as a research fellow in the ALGAVALOR project, where he gained extensive experience in microalgae cultivation from lab to pilot and industrial scale.

In early 2022, Pedro began his PhD at Allmicroalgae, focusing on sustainable cultivation techniques and reducing cultivation costs. In 2023, he joined GreenCoLab to continue his PhD, now concentrating on biorefining microalgal biomass. His research aims to develop multiproduct biorefineries for microalgae, maximizing the overall value of microalgal biomass and contributing to the establishment of an economically viable and sustainable algae industry.

Inês Guerra has a MSc in Biological Engineering from Instituto Superior Técnico (Lisbon, Portugal). She has been in the microalgae field since 2019 when she did her master´s thesis on Allmicroalgae’s production facilities about the production mode of Nannochloropsis oceanica and Chlorella vulgaris in pilot scale tubular photobioreactors. After she stayed at Allmicroalgae working as a research fellow in the Algavalor project where she gain expertise in the cultivation of several microalgae species, from laboratory to industrial scale. In 2021 she started her PhD working during the first year in the optimization of an organic medium for the industrial cultivation of Arthrospira platensis and the optimization of culture conditions in diverse pilot-scale photobioreactors. Now she has joined GreenCoLab to work in the biorefinery and food groups to extract compounds of interest from microalgae that can be incorporated into food products.

Catarina has a BSc in Biology from the University of Algarve and has recently completed her MSc in Molecular and Microbial Biology. Her previous work includes studies on the application of algae and antagonistic agents as biostimulants and the application of algae as biological control of plant diseases. In GreenCoLab, she integrated Performalgae and Seaweed2Plant projects as a Project Technician. Currently, she is pursuing a PhD in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of Algarve, in GreenCoLab in partnership with InnovPlantProtect.

Gustavo has BSc in Marine Biology (University of Algarve) and is currently doing his MSc in Aquaculture and Fisheries (University of Algarve). His master’s thesis is related to GreenCoLab’s ALGAESOLUTIONS project and focuses on the development of a lighting protocol describing suitable light quality and quantity for 3 species of algae to improve growth. Apart from following up on the ALGAESOLUTIONS project since 2021, he joined the INTEGRATE project in late 2022.

Mélissa José is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Marine, Earth, and Environmental Sciences at the University of Algarve (Portugal), focusing on detecting, identifying, and mitigating biological contaminants in industrial microalgal cultures, integrated and financially supported by the Vertical Algas project (Pacto da Bioeconomia Azul). She holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Molecular and Microbial Biology (2023) and a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Biology (2020), both from the University of Algarve (Portugal). Her Master’s thesis emphasized on the detection and mitigation of biological contaminants responsible for the culture collapse of industrial microalgal cultures. This research was funded by the ALGAESOLUTIONS project, aiming to enhance algal products. During her academic journey, Mélissa developed expertise in molecular biology and bioinformatics, as well as strong skills in cultivating and microscopically characterizing microalgae and their biological contaminants. Mélissa entered the field of microalgae in 2020 as an intern at Necton S.A. (Belamandil, Portugal), and has been contributing to research as a technician in the contaminants and microbiome working group of GreenCoLab since 2021.

Anna has BSc in Orthotics and Prosthetics (University of Algarve), which has finished in 2015. Has changed to area of Molecular biology and took Master of Science in Oncobiology – Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer (University of Algarve) during 2019/2021. During the winter of 2021/2022 worked on COVID-19 testing at ABC – Algarve Biomedical Center. Early in 2022, Anna has been a winner of an investigation grant on PERFORMALGAE project, related to GreenCoLab, and worked on molecular markers analysis of microalgae biomass effect on fish gut.

Rafael holds a BSc degree in Biochemistry from the University of Algarve. In 2021, he began his MSc in Molecular Biology and Microbiology at the University of Algarve, completing his thesis in association with MarBiotech and GreenCoLab. His research focused on optimizing the processing of Raphidonema monicae biomass for aquafeed applications. During this time, he joined GreenCoLab as part of the µCellAqua project, working on hydrolyzing microalgal biomass. Rafael optimized the valorization of various microalgal biomasses, such as Chlorella vulgaris and Tetradesmus obliquus, from multiple projects at GreenCoLab. Currently enrolling on a PhD, Rafael is focused on precision functional nutrition in aquaculture, using ingredients enriched with bioactive compounds derived from targeted biorefinery pipelines.

Soraia Santos graduated in Biology in 2011 from the University of Algarve (Portugal) with a Master’s in Biotechnology. Soraia has 12 years of experience as a research technician. She started her career in CCMAR in comparative endocrinology and integrative biology in 2011, participating in several projects, covering different areas: eels olfactory, endocrine disruptors compounds, osteogenesis and calcium metabolism, and also larvae quality molecular biomarkers in seabream and seabass. Soraia is an expert in molecular biology techniques, having some experience with proteins, histology, enzymatic assays, lab managing, and supervising students and visitors in the laboratory. Since then, Soraia has participated in 8 scientific publications. Currently, she is working as a technician in the GutPerformance Group. She will be working on gene expression, evaluating the potential of new algae-based ingredients as functional ingredients for aquaculture species, and providing clear information based on the molecular response of fish to support faster decisions.

Carlos has a BSc degree in Chemistry (Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná) completed in 2019 with a project on the representation of chemical bonds, and a degree in Bioengineering from the University of Algarve. At the beginning of 2023, he carried out his final degree project in association with GreenCoLab, in which he worked in the Biorefinery developing and optimizing an efficient approach to processing microalgae biomass with a focus on protein extraction.

Alexandre Lima is the Sustainability Technician at GreenCoLab. Currently, he is PhD candidate in Biotechnological Sciences (University of Algarve, Portugal), developing a project that aims to recover agro-industrial waste for obtaining nanocellulose for biotechnological applications in the food packaging industry. He holds a BSc in Food Engineering from the Federal University of Ceará (UFC, Brazil) and a MSc in the same area from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC, Brazil / UAlg, Portugal). In recent years, he specialized in circular economy focusing on waste management and sustainable processes. Previously, he was a research collaborator in the MarBiotech group (CCMAR, Portugal) involved in the national project XtremeGourmet.

Ricardo is a Biological Engineer who graduated from Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) at the Universidade de Lisboa (UL). He possesses significant knowledge in waste treatment and valorisation, bioenergy and biorefineries, as well as in water and wastewater treatment plants. Over the past few years, he has had the opportunity to explore various professional areas focused on the environmental field, particularly through his research work at the BIOENG laboratory at NOVA School of Science and Technology, part of Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL). He also contributed to project work in the solid waste division at EFACEC and gained experience at the Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia (LNEG). Currently, Ricardo is a laboratory technician at GreenCoLab, where he is involved in strain improvement initiatives.

Mariana holds a BSc in Biology, from the University of the Algarve, and is currently taking her MSc in Biotechnology, at UAlg too. Her master’s thesis is part of the Vertical Algae project, where she aims to investigate the correlation between thermotolerance and the composition of the growing medium in diatoms. In addition, the study seeks to obtain new strains capable of withstanding the high temperatures resulting from global warming, thus facilitating their cultivation at an industrial level during the warmer months. Mariana is joining GreenCoLab as a Technician being the newest member of the the Strain Improvement research group.

Vítor Spínola holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Madeira. He started his professional career at Madebiotech – C R & D, SA (Madeira, Portugal) where was responsible for the production and quality control of algae extracts, and R&D activities. Vítor has more than 10 years of experience in the extraction and analytical characterization of bioactive compounds from natural products. He also specialized in the evaluation of in vitro bioactivities for potential food, cosmetic, and health applications. Vítor has 25 publications in peer-reviewed journals, 1 book chapter, and has participated in several national and international conferences with oral and poster communications. He has also collaborated with different national (e.g., CLAYCATS4, MarineBlueRefine) and international projects (MAGNIFICENT). Currently, as a member of GreenColab, Vitor collaborates with both the Biorefinery and Chemistry working groups, leveraging his expertise in extraction methodologies and chemical analysis.

Marta holds a Master’s degree in Food Engineering from Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA) at the University of Lisbon, Portugal. She also holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Biotechnology from the University of Algarve, Portugal. She has substantial knowledge in food innovation, alternative proteins, and quality control.

Her thesis, initiated in 2024 in collaboration with GreenCoLab, focuses on developing a microalgae-based egg alternative. The project explores the use of alternative proteins and functional ingredients to replicate the structure and functionality of conventional eggs.

Marta has participated in national food innovation initiatives such as EcoTrophelia Portugal 2024 and the 6th edition of Food Fab Lab, where she was awarded the Innovation Prize for her work in developing a novel food prototype.

Rute Félix, PhD, is a biologist with a multidisciplinary background, holding a degree from the Universidade de Évora and a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa. She previously worked as an auxiliary researcher at the Center of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, where she specialized in marine biotechnology.

Her research focused on the development of advanced cell culture models and biosensor-based cell assays. Over the years, her interdisciplinary expertise has led her to participate in numerous national and international scientific projects. Rute has co-authored more than 30 peer-reviewed publications, and her work has been presented at various conferences and meetings worldwide.

She has also supervised several undergraduate and master’s students and remains actively engaged in promoting science through scientific, technological, and cultural dissemination initiatives.

Maria has a BSc degree in Biotechnology (University of Évora) and is currently pursuing her MSc, also in Biotechnology (University of Algarve). She started her thesis in 2022, associated to GreenCoLab’s ALGAESOLUTIONS project, with the aim of using flashing lights to improve biochemical composition in different microalgal species. Recently, she joined GreenCoLab as Chemical Analyst.

Sofia Navalho holds a Master of Science in Biological Engineering from Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Lisbon, Portugal. Currently, she is working as a Bioengineer at the GreenCoLab (GCL) in the scope of the PERFORMALGAE (P2020) project, which aims to improve industrial microalgae for the production of biostimulants and functional foods and feeds. For this purpose, Sofia has been working in multidisciplinary fields related to microalgae biotechnology, namely photobioreactor modulation and design, biostimulant activity of microalgae and mainly in strain improvement of industrial microalgae using random mutagenesis. In this way, Sofia is working in close cooperation with the partners of the GCL to develop sustainable products such as food, feed and nutraceuticals from these sun-driven micro-factories. During her MSc studies, Sofia built a solid background in bioengineering, strongly complemented by other scientific areas such as biology, mathematics, physics and chemistry. During her stay at IST, Sofia actively participated in the student community, being part of the Brewer Club (CCIST), Biological Engineering Students’ Group (NEB) and the board of the Students’ Association of IST (AEIST). These activities made her develop specific and soft skills, namely, fermentative bioprocesses, teamwork, resource and team management. In 2020, Sofia stayed for one semester abroad to perform her master’s thesis at the Bioprocess Engineering group, at Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands. During this work, Sofia studied microalgae strain improvement using adaptive laboratory evolution, which has led to a recent co-author publication in the Biotechnology journal (Barten et al. 2022, DOI: 10.1002/biot.202100659). The interest and fascination for microalgal biotechnology is also reflected in the professional research experiences of Sofia. Already back in 2016, Sofia performed a summer internship at the microalgal producing company Allmicroalgae in Pataias, Portugal, where she learned culturing techniques to produce microalgae in photoautotrophic and heterotrophic mode following the scale-up of microalgae cultures from lab to industrial scale. The second summer internship in 2020 was at Necton, Olhão, Portugal, which is a different company for microalgae production. Here, Sofia worked in the R&D team and acquired skills in the industrial domestication of new microalgae. Moreover, at Necton, Sofia gained experience in different drying methods for microalgae, which is a work in the scope of the MAGNIFCIENT project and a manuscript for publication is in preparation. And lastly, after her graduation in January 2021, Sofia worked in GCL as a Trainee, further improving her skills in microalgal biotechnology. Currently, she is enrolled in a PhD, with GreenCoLab, being involved in the Sustainability field.