Daniel Figueiredo is a PhD student at GreenCoLab, focusing on microalgal biomass for aquaculture. He holds an MSc in Biotechnology from the University of Lisbon and a BSc from the University of Minho. He completed his MSc internship at Wageningen University, specialising in microalgae physiology and molecular biology. His interests span microalgae physiology, strain improvement, wastewater treatment, and downstream processing. Currently, he is developing improved Tisochrysis and Pavlova strains with faster growth, higher PUFA content, and improved abiotic stress resilience for sustainable aquafeed applications.

Prof. Matteo Ballottari graduated in Biotechnology at the University of Verona in 2004. He is a member of several national and international scientific societies, among which the International Society of Photosynthesis Research. Moreover, he is a member of the scientific committee of AISAM, the Italian Association for the Study and Application of Microalgae, and a member of the steering committee of the Italian Society of Plant Biology (SIBV). Matteo Ballottari is involved in national and European projects financed by public and private funds to exploit photosynthetic organisms to produce biofuels and high-value products. Prof. Ballottari group (SOLE-LAB) studies plant metabolism in microalgae and higher plants, focusing on how it might be improved to produce biomass and high value products through an interdisciplinary approach ranging from omics to biophysics, biochemistry, and genetic engineering. Matteo Ballottari is the founder and CEO of the start-up ASTEASIER SRL, a company based in Italy launched in 2024 and devoted to the production of additives and ingredients for food, feed, and cosmetic applications.

I am currently a Postdoctoral Researcher (Juan de la Cierva fellowship) at the University of Almería, Spain (Chemical Engineering Department), working on projects related to microalgae, compound extraction, fragmentation, and NIR spectroscopy. Previously, I completed a postdoctoral contract and a PhD in Analytical Chemistry at the University of Zaragoza, focusing on aerosol analysis using LIBS (Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy). My research has taken me to Antarctica twice and to the Institute of Light and Matter (Lyon, France). I hold a Bachelor’s in Environmental Sciences (University of Salamanca, Spain) and a European Master’s in the same field (University of Copenhagen, Denmark & BOKU, Austria).

Martina Bussola is a second-year PhD student at the University of Verona, working at SOLE-Lab. Her research focuses on genetic and metabolic engineering in various microalgae species to enhance photosynthesis. The goal is to improve carbon fixation efficiency and drive the production of valuable metabolites for industrial applications. By leveraging synthetic biology and metabolic modeling, her work contributes to developing more efficient and sustainable biotechnological processes using microalgae as a versatile platform for bio-based production. 

Celso Alves holds a PhD in Marine Science, Technology, and Management from the University of Aveiro. He is currently Senior Researcher at MARE – Center for Marine and Environmental Sciences/ESTM at the Polytechnic University of Leiria and President of the Portuguese Association of Applied Algology. His research focuses on marine organisms, with a particular emphasis on macroalgae and associated microorganisms, as sources of novel natural compounds with therapeutic and biotechnological potential for various applications. He is a co-author of several scientific articles, patents, and presentations at international conferences.

Alice Ferreira holds an MSc in Biological Engineering from Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon. She is currently awaiting her PhD defense in Environmental Engineering from the School of Agronomy, University of Lisbon. Her PhD research consisted on microalgae biotechnology for piggery wastewater treatment and the development of sustainable agriculture products. Previously, she has worked as a Research Fellow at LNEG, in several projects focusing on wastewater treatment and bio-based applications. She has co-authored 28 papers in scientific journals and three book chapters. Her expertise includes wastewater valorization, bioenergy, green extractions, and sustainable agriculture solutions.

I am Diogo Ferreira-Martins, a molecular physiologist specializing in endocrinology. I hold a B.Sc. in General and Aquatic Biology and a Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of Porto. During my Ph.D., I received a Fulbright Research Grant to study migratory fish physiology at USGS Conte Anadromous Fish Research Center, USA. I later conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Massachusetts, USA. Currently, I am a postdoc Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research of the University of Porto, in the Biodiscovery for Health group, exploring algae and cyanobacteria applications in biotechnology and biomedical research.

Bethany Louise Short is a PhD student at the University of Cádiz, where she studied a double degree in Marine and Environmental Sciences, followed by a Master’s in Biotechnology. Her current research focuses on sustainable industrial wastewater treatment using microalgae, reflecting her commitment to advancing environmentally friendly technologies through marine sciences.

Helena Melo Amaro is a microbiologist with a PhD in Biomedical Sciences, and for the past 20 years, she has been a committed researcher in the field of blue biotechnology. Throughout her career, Helena has developed innovative methodologies in algal biotechnology, with a particular focus on algae production, extraction of bioactive compounds, and the valorization of algal compounds. Her work has spanned several renowned Portuguese research centers, covering key areas such as health, food and feed, and the environment, all with sustainability as a guiding principle. 

Currently, Helena is the Research and Development Manager at Inclita Seaweeds Solutions, a company dedicated to the development and commercialization of seaweed-based ingredients, with a strong focus on the cosmetics and nutraceutical industries. Her work in Ínclita continues to shape sustainable innovations in this growing field. 

Margarida Costa is the leader of the Microalgae Section at the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) in Oslo (Norway). She works closely with other research institutes, universities, and private companies in the microalgae biotechnology field to find scientific and industrial solutions within the topic. Margarida has a strong background in added-value marine compounds. She had previously worked in bioactive marine natural compounds from cyanobacteria in CIIMAR, the Marine and Environmental Research Center, at Matosinhos (Portugal). In 2014, she was granted an ITN Marie Skłodowska-Curie research grant and moved to the University of Iceland for a PhD in marine natural products chemistry. Besides, Margarida collaborated on other European projects, studying the metabolome of cyanobacterial strains with anti-obesity properties. In 2019, Margarida Costa seized the opportunity to enroll in an industrial postdoc at Allmicroalgae´s production facility, optimizing microalgae growing conditions and producing compounds of interest at the laboratory, pilot, and industrial scales. Margarida has over thirty peer-reviewed scientific papers, three book chapters, and a patent.

Pedro Letras has a BSc in Biology (Universidade de Lisboa) and a MSc in Marine Biology (Universidade do Algarve). His thesis “3D printed gluten-free snacks with the incorporation of Chlorella vulgaris and/or Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina)” at Instituto Superior de Agronomia, was published in the scientific journal Algal Research in 2021. Several science related experiences followed including algae downstream processing and product development at Arborea. In April 2023 he joined GreenCoLab, as biorefinery technician. In December of the same year, he embarked on a PhD (GreenCoLab, CCMAR, CICECO) focusing on the development of an aqueous-based multi-product biorefinery pipeline for red algae.

Maria Silva holds a degree in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Porto and a MSc in Food Science and Technology from the University of Minho. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Food Science, Technology, and Nutrition through a consortium between the University of Minho, the University of Aveiro, and the Catholic University. Her doctoral research focuses on strategies to harness the potential of microalgae as a protein source. Specifically, she is working with Chlorella vulgaris, optimizing its protein fraction and bioaccessibility. Her work aims to contribute to sustainable and innovative protein alternatives in the food industry.

I studied the Biotechnology Bachelor’s degree in Pablo de Olavide University (Seville). Afterwards, I started working with microalgae during an Erasmus Traineeship at the University of Hamburg. Recently, I graduated from the Industrial and Agri-food Biotechnology Master’s at the University of Almeria, where I recently started my PhD.

Ghita Loubane is a doctoral researcher at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), affiliated with the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FMS) and the Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation and Research (MASCIR). She holds a Master’s degree in Microbial Biotechnology. Her current research explores the therapeutic potential of marine microalgae, with a focus on bioactive compounds involved in skin regeneration and wound healing. Her academic interests include marine biotechnology, natural products, and biomedical applications of microalgal metabolites

Niall English is a chartered chemical engineer (FIChemE), inventor, professor and industrialist. He completed a Ph.D. in 2003 on electric-field effects on hydrates and gas in water. During 2004-2005, Niall carried out further hydrate research at the US DOE. During 2005 to 2007, he worked for the Chemical Computing Group in Cambridge (GB) developing molecular-simulation codes, protocols and methods for drug-design applications. Niall took up a lectureship in Chemical & Bioprocess Engineering at UCD in 2007, rising through the ranks to professor in 2017. He has founded various spin-out/ start-up companies, including BioSimulytics for crystal-structure prediction and AquaB for low-energy and membrane-free nanobubble generation (both EIC-Accelerator-supported).

Kricelle Deamici is the Food Nutrition Group Leader at GreenCoLab (GCL). She is Food Engineer from Federal University of Pampa (Brazil) and holds a master and PhD in Food Science and Engineer granted by Federal University of Rio Grande (Brazil), being part of her thesis PhD at Ku Leuven University (Campus Kulak Kortrijk). She was a postdoc researcher at Université Clermont Auvergne (UCA – France) and at Federal University of Bahia (Brazil), where she studied microalgae cultivation under different conditions. She has been working for 10 years on microalgal cultures and she has experience in the bioprocess area, with an emphasis on the cultivation of microalgae, biofixation of carbon dioxide carbon by microalgae and nutritional enrichment of foods with the addition of microalgae. Currently, in GCL, she is responsible for the development of novel algae-based food products and prototypes aimed at enhancing human nutrition, using different  algae and their associated compounds.

Mariana Barreiros, a PhD student in Chemical and Biological Engineering at the Centre of Biological Engineering (CEB), holds a BSc in Biochemistry and MSc in Plant Biology, Biotechnology, and Bioentrepreneurship from University of Minho, Portugal. Her previous research spanned from the effects of calcium on grape berries’ (Vitis vinifera) biochemical profile, to the production of functional textiles from marine residues and textile waste recycling. Her current PhD work focuses on electrical stimulation to enhance microalgae biomass production (Pavlova gyrans), with the aid of bioinformatics and artificial intelligence, building on her master’s thesis and emphasizing her commitment to innovative biotechnology solutions.

Victor Robles is a biologist from the University of Malaga, with a Master’s degree in Advanced Biotechnology from the same university. He is currently working on his doctoral thesis on the use and cultivation of macro and microalgae for the agricultural and fish farming industries. He has focused mainly on the cultivation and use of Ulva macroalgae due to its multiple uses and the possibility of year-round production in the Mediterranean area.

Scientific researcher and engineer with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at Federal University of Ceará (UFC) and master’s degree in chemical engineering at University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil. Currently pursuing a PhD involving the following entities: University of Porto (FEUP), NOVA University Lisbon and the company A4F (Algae For Future). He is enrolled in the Doctoral Programme in Refining, Petrochemical and Chemical Engineering (EngIQ), with his doctoral thesis focused on the enhancement of microalgae cultivation systems through data mining and machine learning methods.

Gabriela Sousa is a PhD student in Food Engineering at the Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ULisboa). Her project is on the design of functional edible coatings for frying fish products within the concept of ocean bioeconomy. 

She is studying the extraction of polysaccharides and bioactive compounds from less explored seaweeds to produce edible coatings, as a strategy to decrease the oil uptake during frying. Her focus and goals are in the sustainable use of marine resources by the food industry, under a circular economy context.

Researcher with a degree in Biological Engineering at Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon (IST-Ulisboa). His research focuses on innovative biotechnological approaches for the production of alternative protein sources from marine biomass residues. 

Affiliated with the Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences (iBB), specifically within the 2BRG (Biochemical and Bioengineering Research Group). Future goals include pursuing a PhD to contribute further to the fields of bioprocess optimization and microbial production systems.

Sofia Navalho is pursuing a PhD focusing on Spirulina production’s life cycle assessment (LCA). Her research examines the environmental impacts of the production process and aims to develop strategies for its improvement. Previously, she gained five years of experience improving microalgae strains using non-GMO techniques such as adaptive laboratory evolution and random mutagenesis, enhancing these organisms for industrial applications. With a background in Biological Engineering from Instituto Superior Técnico, her expertise connects strain optimisation with sustainability analysis, contributing to fostering an environmentally responsible microalgae biotechnology.

MSc in Industrial Computer Sciences, MSc in Chemical Engineering, specialisation in Biotechnology and Food Science, by the University of Almeria and PhD in Agriculture and Food Science at University College Dublin. Tomás is a Ramon y Cajal Researcher at the Department of Chemical Engineering of the University of Almeria and the responsible of the Desalination and Photosynthesis Functional Unit at the Solar Energy Research Centre (CIESOL). He leads research lines on (i) reutilisation and revalorisation of food processing co-products, (ii) the production and characterisation of proteins and biologically active compounds from microalgae, and (iii) the development of microalgae-based processes for different industries. He is a member of the Executive Committee of ISAP and a member of other international networks including PARAQUA, SOLABIAA, RITAL, and RENUWAL. He is also a member of the Editorial Board of International Journal of Food Science and Technology, Phycology, Frontiers in Food Science and Technology, and Revista Latinoamericana de Biotecnología Ambiental y Algal (RELABIAA). He edited 3 books and co-authored over 100 scientific publications on various aspects of food and chemical engineering and more than 80 contributions to national and international conferences. Since 2018 he has been named on the Worlds’ Top 2% Scientists List of Stanford University.

Bachelor’s Degree in Biotechnology and Master’s Degree in Bioinformatics, PhD in Microalgae Biotechnology. Co-founder of Arborea Ltd where he was CTO, Co-founder of Spirufarm srl, Co-founder of Algaria Srl where he has been CEO since 2016. Participates in several national and international research projects. He also serves as a board member in AISAM, the Italian microalgae association, and is a member of EABA. He holds a new position as General Manager at Ergeva

During his career he has explored different potentialities of microalgae from their production, to the creation of new commercial products and their launch on the market, creating several brands currently on the market.

Dr. Miotti Tea is a second-year PhD candidate in Biotechnology at the University of Verona. Her research focuses on waste valorisation and the production of high-value products using microalgae. She explores innovative approaches to harness microalgae for environmental and industrial applications, with a particular emphasis on developing sustainable solutions for waste treatment and bio-based product generation, such as biostimulants.

Iris is a biomedical scientist specialized in genetics with a PhD since 2015. She is currently a senior researcher at S2AQUA leading the Molecular Biology Lab. At S2AQUA, her work focuses on the development of a molecular diagnosis platform to improve diagnosis through innovative techniques, and in the development of a genetic analysis platform to analyse expression of genes related to growth, health, and animal welfare, and optimize genetic selection programs for key traits in aquaculture species. With a career distinguished by 9 national and international awards, she is now driven by her commitment to advance innovation in aquaculture research, promoting sustainability and efficiency in the sector.

Sylviah Khamila is a PhD candidate in Bioprocess Engineering, focusing on microalgal autolysis for sustainable product recovery. Her research explores enzyme-assisted microalgal cell wall disruption as a cost-effective alternative to traditional high-energy and solvent-intensive methods. By leveraging microalgal genetic engineering, her work aims to develop an efficient inducible autolysis system that enhances multiproduct extraction in microalgae biorefineries, contributing to more sustainable and scalable bioprocessing.

Madalena is a phycologist at GreenCoLab, associated to ALGAplus, with a focus on seaweed cultivation, strain selection, domestication of novel species and biobanking. She holds a BSc in Biology, from the University of Lisbon, and a Msc in Aquaculture, from the University of Algarve. Madalena has been working with algae for over a decade, having gained experience in breeding and cultivation techniques, as well as the extraction and characterization of bioactive compounds. Currently, she is pursuing a PhD at the University of Aveiro, within the Lipidomics Lab. Her research is dedicated to the characterization and improvement of farmed Atlantic Nori.

Filipe Maciel is an invited assistant researcher at the Centre of Biological Engineering (CEB) of the University of Minho (Portugal). He holds a Ph.D. in Chemical and Biological Engineering from the University of Minho, completed in 2023. His doctoral research focused on ‘Microalgae production strategies to increase carotenoid and polyunsaturated fatty acid composition for food and feed applications.’ He is currently working on the Blue Bioeconomy – Vertical Algas project, exploring cost-effective and sustainable approaches for the heterotrophic production of microalgae, using agro-industrial byproducts and sidestreams as alternative growth media.

Dr. Antonio León Vaz studied Chemistry at University of Huelva (Spain), where he also completed a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. After that, Antonio obtained a ‘Margarita Salas’ postdoctoral fellowship at Umeå University (Sweden) for a year. Currently, Antonio joined the VOC and Microalgae Research Group and the Institute of Sustainable Processes (ISP) as a ‘Juan de la Cierva’ postdoctoral researcher. His research is focused on the inactivation of viruses using microalgae-based systems and exploring the mechanisms related with that inactivation.

Sofia holds a MSc in Biological Engineering from Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, and is currently a PhD student at A4F – Algae for Future and CERES – Chemical Engineering and Renewable Resources for Sustainability research centre, University of Coimbra. Sofia’s PhD research focuses on domestic wastewater treatment using microalgae, particularly on phosphorus, nitrogen and carbon recovery.

Currently, Alexandra Conde is pursuing a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, with a central focus on the development of environmentally friendly downstream processes. Her research aims to develop efficient methods to stabilize pigments extracted from algae while simultaneously exploring ways to enhance the development of related products. These products are intended for applications within the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries, aligning with her strong interests in green chemistry, sustainable processes, and harnessing renewable resources. 

Edoardo Ceschi is a PhD student at the SOLE-Lab, University of Verona, specializing in microalgal biotechnology. His research focuses on metabolic engineering and process optimization to enhance the biosynthesis of high-value compounds in microalgae and their scale-up in pilot-scale photobioreactors. He holds a Master’s degree in Biotechnology for Bioresources and Sustainable Development, with expertise in heterologous protein expression, molecular biology, cell physiology, and microalgal cultivation. His work integrates synthetic biology and bioprocess engineering to develop sustainable bioproduction platforms for industrial applications.

Ralph Urbatzka is a principal researcher at CIIMAR, and team leader of “Biodiscovery for Health”. He graduated in Biology in 2002 in Cologne, Germany and received his PhD in 2007 in Molecular Biology from the Humboldt-University Berlin, Germany. His current research interests focus on the bioactivity screening and elucidation of molecular mechanism of natural products from aquatic ecosystems, in particular for metabolic diseases.

With a Master’s in Gastronomic Sciences (2022) from Universidade Nova de Lisboa (Portugal) and a Higher Education Diploma in Gastronomy (2017) from Universidade Potiguar (Brazil), he has a strong background in culinary practice and experience across various food service sectors. Currently, he is a researcher at the LEAF research center, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, University of Lisbon, focusing on developing novel food products incorporating seaweeds, microalgae, and vegetable raw materials. His research interests also include food perception, food rheology, and sustainable alternatives for creating resilient food systems for present and future generations.

Catarina D. Freire holds a master’s in biotechnology of marine resources and a BSc in Marine Biology and Biotechnology.Her research focuses on marine biology, with an emphasis on applying marine resources to food products. She has developed pasta enriched with algae and marine proteins, conducting sensory analysis and consumer studies. Currently, she is involved in innovative packaging solutions, exploring ecological, sustainable, and functional materials. Catarina is driven by a deep interest in advancing marine biotechnology and its potential to enhance food systems and sustainability.

Catarina Moreira is currently finishing her Ph.D. in Food Science and Technology and Nutrition at Minho University in Portugal. Her doctoral research focuses on developing seafood analogs from algae biomass, addressing challenges related to protein rearrangement and flavor retention.

Previously, Catarina was awarded the esteemed EIT RIS Fellowship and gained valuable experience in research and development within an industrial context at Puratos (Brussels, Belgium). With six years of expertise in biotechnology, she has dedicated the last four years to the study of protein extraction and its applications from microalgae. Since 2021, Catarina has authored and collaborated on seven articles.

Rodrigo Costa holds a PhD degree in Life Sciences from the Technical University of Braunschweig (Germany) and is Associate Professor at the Department of Bioengineering of Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon. His research features > 100 publications in international scientific journals, and addresses the diversity and function of microorganisms in natural and fabricated biomes – with emphasis on Eukaryote-Prokaryote symbioses -, their implications to host/ecosystem health and climate regulation, and potential use as sources of innovative biotechnologies. Prof. Costa is the Ambassador of the International Society for Microbial Ecology (ISME) in Portugal and Senior Editor of ISME Communications.

André C. Pereira holds a PhD in Microbiology by the Faculty of Sciences of University of Lisbon. He is currently working on the Blue Bioeconomic Pact project, particularly on the Algae Vertical and Blue Biobank. His work has been focusing on the microbiome of Porphyra dioica and Porphyra umbilicalis, by trying to uncover the taxonomic and functional composition of such microbiome, untangling the microbiome-Porphyra interactions in integrated multi-trophic aquaculture systems. Ultimately, his work will provide solutions in macroalgae production optimization by promoting algae growth and morphogenesis and by dealing with algae disease in an organic and eco-friendly manner.

Dalila M. Vieira obtained a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in biomedical engineering and technology from Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, and a Ph.D. in Science and Engineering of Polymers and Composites, from the University of Minho.

Throughout their academic career, worked on numerous research topics related to microencapsulation of various polymers. She has focused her research on characterization of flow and wettability using confocal microscopy applied to biological fluids and sustainable food packaging development. Currently, she is working in Innovation & Value2Market Department at Colab4Food Association, with a role in the R&D&I and customer services.

Cristina Rocha is an Assistant Researcher at the Centre of Biological Engineering of the University of Minho. She got her M.Sc. (1997) in Biological Engineering and her PhD in Chemical and Biological Engineering – sub-area of Food Technology (2008) in the University of Minho. She has experience in algae-based biorefineries, green extraction technologies and chemical, physical and structural characterization of different extracts, food matrices and packaging materials. She is presently responsible for CEB’s Laboratory of Clean Technologies. She was involved in several research projects (national and international) and has published 7 book chapters and 65 peer-reviewed articles in international journals.

President of the Association for Research in Science and Technology (ARST)

I hold a PhD in Biochemistry and Marine Microbiology and a Master’s degree in Marine Biotechnology from Chouaib Doukkali University, Morocco. For over ten years, I have been working on the extraction of bioactive compounds from macroalgae and developing new formulations for pharmaceutical applications. My research focuses on exploring the potential uses and benefits of marine macroalgae in the health sector.

I have authored several publications in international scientific journals, hold two national patents, and have presented my work at numerous international conferences.

Israel Bautista Hernández is a bright PhD student at UCP. In 2019, he was awarded as young researcher on Biotechnology and Agronomy sciences by UANL-CONAHCYT (México). During his MSc degree at UAdeC on bioprocessing solid-state fermentation process. Also, he obtained the honorable mention for his master’s thesis and was awarded with the Juan Antonio de la Fuente Medal 2022. Israel has a h-index of 7 with 289 citations (Google Scholar), 10 publications and 5 book chapters, 6 conferences congress participation with a Best Presentation Award (SUMBio-2022) and actively participating in Mexican projects (CONACYT-CONAFOR: B-S-65769). 

Inês holds a MSc in Marine Sciences – Marine Resources from the University of Porto. Her Master thesis consisted of the cultivation optimization of conchocelis of Porphyra umbilicalis. In 2021, she officially joined the ALGAplus team as a maternity technician, focusing on seaweed cultivation, strain improvement and domestication of novel species, with participation in several R&D projects. Currently as innovation technician, Inês carries out work for R&D projects, primarily working for the Vertical Algae, Seamark and I3-4-Seaweed collaborative projects. Currently, she counts on several communications at international conferences and events, and participation in the development of relevant papers on the field.

Mariam Kholany leads the Biorefinery working group at GreenCoLab, specialising in the development of advanced biorefinery technologies. She holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Aveiro (Portugal), where she focused on sustainable, integrated biorefinery processes to enhance resource efficiency and waste valorisation using marine biomass. Mariam also earned her BSc in Biotechnology and MSc in Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology from the same university. At GreenCoLab, she works to optimise sustainable production and valorisation strategies. With a strong foundation in marine biorefinery, she is committed to driving innovation and promoting sustainability within the field.

Emil Gundersen is currently employed as a PhD candidate at DTU National Food Institute. In his current position, Emil works with developing microalgae as a future, sustainable source of food ingredients. More specifically, his research focuses on improving the productivity and bioaccessibility of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins K and D in the microalga Nannochloropsis oceanica. Emil has previously been involved in several microalgal research projects, developing technologies based on both cyanobacteria and diatoms. Through his research, he seeks to supply vital knowledge for a growing microalgal industry in Denmark.

Rosário Domingues graduated in Pharmaceutical Sciences, the University of Coimbra (1990), received her Ph.D. degree in Chemistry (1998), and Habilitation in Biochemistry (2014), the University of Aveiro. Since 2016 she held the contract of associated professor with habilitations in the Mass Spectrometry Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro (UA). She has over 25 years of research experience in the field of mass spectrometry. She is a well-established researcher in the field of lipidomics, oxidative lipidomics, food and algae lipidomics, and glycomics. She is the leader of the Lipidomic Laboratory of the Mass Spectrometry Centre of the UA.

She has taken part in several juries for academic exams, and scientific committees for congresses, and has supervised post-doctoral, doctoral, and master’s students. She is the author of a book and six book chapters and has published more than 220 articles in leading international journals. 

Furthermore, Rosário Domingues is Deputy Head of the Chemistry Department and presently is the Director of the UA Doctoral Program.

Luca Buscaglia was born in Vercelli (Italy) on the 13th of December 1998. He earned his BSc in Chemical and Food Engineering from Politecnico di Torino in 2020 and pursued an MSc in Chemical and Sustainable Processes Engineering at the same University. During his MSc, he developed an interest in the intersection between engineering and biotechnology, concluding with an MSc Thesis on a model-driven control study for scaling-up mixotrophic cultivation of Galdieria sulphuraria. In 2023, Luca joined the Bioprocess Engineering group of Wageningen University to begin a PhD. His work is focused on monitoring and control of large-scale photobioreactors.

With 10 years’ experience in academia and industry, I specialize in biotechnology, bioremediation, and algae-based solutions for sustainability. I hold a Biology degree, an International Master’s in Biotechnology of Environment and Health and am pursuing a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at Swansea University. I’ve worked on microalgae projects like ALG-AD, RICE, and AlgaeBrew, which focus on converting waste into valuable products using microalgae. My current research, in collaboration with industrial partners, explores carbon sequestration and sustainable manufacturing via novel photobioreactors and automatization to tackle environmental challenges through microalgal biotechnology.

Nico is a researcher at the University of Verona, collaborating with prof. Matteo Ballottari. Moreover, he co-founded the academic spin-off Asteasier in July ’24, aimed to produce functional ingredients from microalgae.

His studies focus on producing high added-value molecules in microalgae and plants grown in controlled indoor systems. Nico worked at the University of California Berkeley (> 4 years), having prof. Anastasios Melis as PI. Previously, he was a Post-Doc researcher collaborating with prof. Roberto Bassi (University of Verona, Italy). 

Inês Guerra is on the 4th year of a PhD entitled “Production and formulation of an Arthrospira platensis protein-based meat analogue”. She worked in Allmicroalgae where she gained experience in microalgae cultivation and growth optimization, either in lab, pilot and industrial scales. In GreenCoLab she developed a pilot scale multi-product biorefinery with focus on extraction of phycocyanin from Spirulina’s biomass. She also worked in IRTA with high and low moisture extrusion to the formulation of alternatives to animal products. Inês has 5 publications, 2 book chapters and 3 oral presentations performed in international conferences.

Sheyma Khemiri is a Biochemical Food Engineer with an MSc in Food Science and Technology and a PhD in Biological Engineering. As a postdoctoral researcher in the LEAF-Food and Feed Group, she works on the “VIIAFOOD” project, focusing on developing new food products with alternative proteins. Her research explores the functional properties of macromolecules, rheological behavior of food matrices, and the use of microalgae biomass and food industry by-products in sustainable food products. With over six years of experience, she has published 15 peer-reviewed articles and co-supervised master’s theses, presenting at various national and international congresses.

Helena Rocha is a PhD student in Biotechnology with specialisation in Food Science and Engineering at Universidade Católica Portuguesa. She is conducting her research under the project “Blue Bioeconomy Pact – Algae Vertical”, where she is involved in the complete characterisation of the biochemical composition of algae under different culture conditions. Her work focuses on microalgae, carotenoids, their bioaccessibility, and their role in gut microbiota modulation and health. Through her research, she aims to enhance the understanding of carotenoids and their potential applications in improving human health and promoting sustainable biotechnological solutions. 

Looking back, it’s amazing to see how my perspective on research has changed. As a school kid, I was always curious about biology but never imagined myself as a researcher. That changed the moment I was introduced to microbiology—I was hooked.

Studying MSc in Microbiology at the University of Pune, along with hands-on research experience, deepened my interest. That’s when I knew, I wanted to pursue a PhD.

As a PhD student, I worked on “Strategies for enhancing cytochrome P450-dependent light- driven catalysis and sustainable pigment production in cyanobacteria”. It has been a challenging, exciting and rewarding journey.

After completing his PhD at the Biological Research Center Szeged, in Hungary, working on novel algal-bacterial biohydrogen production approaches, Dr. Gergely Ernő Lakatos continued his work at Algatech Centre, in Czech Republic. Here he was involved in projects dealing with diverse bioproducts from microalgae cultivated in pilot scale production systems. After securing a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship, he investigated the cultivation of psychrophile microalgae in outdoor thin-layer raceway pond to obtain valuable products. Presently, Dr. Lakatos is contributing to EIC Pathfinder Program aims at producing biohydrogen directly by solar energy in large scale bioreactors at National Research Council of Italy.

Lais Galileu Speranza is the Sustainability Group Leader at GreenCoLab. She holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Birmingham (UK) and graduated in Environmental and Urban Engineering and Science and Technology’s Bachelor at Universidade Federal do ABC (Brazil) with a one-year exchange program at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln (US). She coordinates the team that applies the circular economy approach to promote a positive impact of algae on society and as an ecosystem service and develops the LCA and techno-economic analyses (TEA) models of microalgae and seaweed products and their production and processing facilities. 

Daniela Wucsits is PhD student from University of Natural Resources and applied science Vienna (BOKU), employed at Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology (ACIB), working on the topic “Cyanobacterial extracellular polymer and their versatility for personal care industry” together with Dr. Rita Mota. Returned to biotechnology with focus on Cyanobacteria research, after 10 years in Microbiology and Quality Assurance within the cosmetics industry, specializing in sustainability and packaging technology. 

Margarida Eustáquio holds a degree in Nutritional Sciences, a Master’s in Clinical Nutrition, and a postgraduate degree in Project Management. Throughout her career, she has worked as a Nutritionist, Business Developer, and Purchasing Director, gaining significant experience in the production and processing of algae. Currently, as the Project Manager of PROALGA, she is responsible for planning and executing the association’s activity plan and managing the initiatives related to Algae Vertical project within the BLUE BIOECONOMY PACT. This project is part of the mobilizing agendas for business innovation under the PRR framework.

Margarida has accumulated extensive experience in managing funded projects, including team coordination, budget management, activity planning, and event organization, such as international congresses. She also oversees communication and promotional activities within the algae sector.

Alexandre Rodrigues holds a licentiate degree in Microbiology and Genetics from the Faculty of Sciences of Lisbon University, Portugal, and a PhD degree awarded by the Faculty of Medicine of Lisbon University. His PhD studies about the in vivo regeneration of zebrafish and Xenopus tissues were developed at the Centre of Regenerative Medicine in Barcelona (CMRB), Spain. After his PhD, Alexandre worked as a research technician in histology and genetics laboratories in Barcelona, after which he moved back to Portugal to work as a post-doc at the University of Algarve.

In 2017, Alexandre started collaborating with Necton S.A. as a sales consultant. Given his scientific background, in 2019 he moved to the Innovation Department as a Project Manager, becoming responsible for the ongoing R&D projects’ management, applications to new projects, and student coordination. In 2022 he was nominated Coordinator of the growing Innovation Department and in the beginning of 2023, he also became the Coordinator of Allmicroalgae’s Innovation Department, after the acquisition of this company by Necton. Alexandre now leads two teams of 6 PhDs, 4 PhD students, and 2 technicians (MsCs) in developing technology, sustainability, and innovative products.

Tamára Santos graduated in Marine Biology from the University of Algarve, where she also earned her MSc in Aquaculture. Since 2019, she has been a researcher at CCMAR/University of Algarve’s Marine Biotechnology (MarBiotech) Research Group, focusing on the bioprospecting of novel microalgal strains and the bacteriome associated with microalgae production. Tamára is currently exploring innovative strategies to enhance industrial microalgal biomass production using metagenomics. She has co-authored 25 papers in international peer-reviewed journals and has presented her work in ten posters and four oral communications at international conferences.

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