People

Mariette M. Pereira is a Full Professor in Organic and Medicinal Chemistry at University of Coimbra (Portugal).

She obtained her PhD in Organic Chemistry in 1992 at University of Coimbra and worked as Fellow Assistant at Universities of Liverpool in 1993 and Autònoma de Barcelona in 1998.

She was Director of the Chemistry Research Laboratory of pharmaceutical spin-off Luzitin SA, until 2015.

Her research interests are focused on the development of sustainable methodologies for:

• The synthesis of tetrapyrrolic macrocycle-based photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy of cancer and photodynamic inactivation of microorganisms;
• Design and synthesis of chemical entities for medical imaging; synthesis of ligands and catalysts aiming the activation of small gas molecules (CO, H₂, CO₂ and O₂) for preparation of value-added products;
• Development of hybrid materials for catalysis, environmental remediation and medicinal chemistry.

She published ca. 180 peer-reviewed papers, 20 books/book chapters and she is inventor of 6 patents.

Mário J. F. Calvete received his Industrial Chemistry diploma from University of Coimbra in 2000 and his PhD in Natural Sciences–Organic Chemistry in 2004, from Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Germany, with Prof. Dr h. c. Michael Hanack.

After a two-year stay at Tübingen as a postdoctoral fellow in Industry/University, he returned to Portugal for a postdoctoral stay at University of Aveiro.

In 2010 he was appointed as Auxiliary Researcher at University of Coimbra and since 2019, he is Assistant Professor at this university.

His current research interests are tetrapyrrolic macrocycle design and other heterocyclic ligands and their uses in theranostics and homogeneous/heterogeneous (photo)catalysis, particularly in environmental remediation technologies.

He has published over 90 peer-reviewed papers, 2 books and 13 book chapters.

Sara M.A. Pinto obtained her PhD in 2012 from the University of Coimbra, under supervision of Professor Hugh D. Burrows and Professor Mariette Pereira.

She began her post-doctorate under the supervision of Professor Carlos Geraldes, Professor Hugh Burrows and Dr. Mário Calvete with the subject of design and development of new multimodal contrast agents for medical imaging. Since 2019 she is Auxiliary Researcher at Coimbra Chemistry Centre at University of Coimbra.

Her current research interests are the design of tetrapyrrolic macrocycles for medical imaging applications, with particular emphasis on theranostics for new contrast agents for MRI/FI or MRI/PET.

She published 32 scientific papers, she is the author of two provisional patent applications, and has several poster and oral communications.

Rui M. B. Carrilho is an Auxiliary Researcher at Coimbra Chemistry Centre and Invited Professor at the Chemistry Department of the University of Coimbra, Portugal.

He obtained a MSc Diploma (2008) from the University of Coimbra and his PhD (2014) in Macromolecular Chemistry from the same University, focused on the synthesis of tervalent phosphorus ligands and organometallic compounds for application in catalysis.

He worked as postdoctoral researcher in the pharmaceutical spin-off Luzitin SA (2014-2015) and at University Rovira i Virgili of Tarragona, Spain (2015-2018).

His current research interests are mainly focused:

• On the synthesis and characterization of P and N-ligands;
• Catalyst design for catalytic carbonylation and CO₂ activation reactions, aiming at the synthesis of value-added products;
• Development and functionalization of hybrid materials for CO₂ capture and reutilization.

He is the author of 30 peer-reviewed articles, 11 book chapters and more than 50 oral and poster communications.

Fábio Schaberle was born in Brazil, where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Physics and his PhD in Science.

He came to Portugal, where he acquired the Portuguese citizenship, as a post-doc and worked for six years in a start-up company in the Photodynamic Therapy field.

Presently, he has a Researcher position in the Coimbra Chemistry Centre of the University of Coimbra through a project led by Professor Mariette Pereira.

His main scientific interests are the studies of interaction of light with matter in its basic and applied features.

Lucas D. Dias was born in Anápolis, Goiás, Brazil.

He received his Pharmacy diploma from the State University of Goiás in 2014.

In 2012, he joined the Laboratory of Catalysis and Fine Chemistry at the University of Coimbra, Portugal, as a trainee supervised by Mariette Pereira.

He then returned to Brazil and worked in a pharmaceutical industry for 2 years.

In 2019, Dias obtained his PhD in Chemistry (Catalysis and Sustainability – CATSUS) at the University of Coimbra, supervised by Mariette Pereira, Paula Marques and Mário J. F. Calvete.

His current research interests are the design and synthesis of homogeneous/heterogeneous catalysts based on tetrapyrrolic macrocycles for the activation of small molecules (O2, CO and CO2).

He has published so far 19 peer-reviewed papers in national/international journals, is author of more than 35 communications (oral and posters) in national/international scientific meetings and he is inventor of 1 patent.

Fábio M. S. Rodrigues (Portugal, 1990), completed his PhD in Chemistry (specialization in Catalysis and Sustainability) in 2021 from the University of Coimbra on the development of organometallic complexes and their immobilization onto solid supports for sequential catalytic processes.

Over his young career, he collaborated on several research projects at the Medicinal Chemistry group from CQC.

In 2021 he worked for LaserLeap Technologies as researcher in the FOTOVID project to find solutions for the mitigation of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Currently, he develops postdoc research and supervising activities at Coimbra Chemistry Centre (CQC).

His research interests are the development of catalytic systems for the activation of small molecules and the development of continuous flow processes for sustainable synthetic chemistry.

He is the author/co-author of 12 scientific international publications, 2 book chapters, and over 35 (oral/poster) participation in scientific meetings.

Giusi Piccirillo (Italy, 1991) is a PhD student in the PhD program Catalysis and Sustainability CATSUS at Coimbra Chemistry Centre at University of Coimbra, Portugal (PD/BD/135532/2018-FCT).

She received her Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry (2013) and her Master’s degree in Chemical Science (2016) with the final thesis titled “Synthesis and photo-physical properties of iridium (III) complexes with pyridophenxazinone (PPHs) ligands”, both from the University of Naples “Federico II”.

At the end of her graduation studies, she worked with a scholarship with Prof. M. Catauro of Department of Engineering of the Second University of Naples and as teaching assistant for Physical Chemistry under the supervision of Prof. P. Del Vecchio.

Her current project concerns the development of innovative methods for the complete antibiotic degradation in water media and the development of new effective pharmaceutical formulations to improve the performance of existing ones, for instance through co-crystals synthesis.

She is co-author of 8 scientific international journals publications and 17 oral/poster communications

Rafael T. Aroso is currently on the last year of his PhD in Medicinal Chemistry in the University of Coimbra, Portugal.

He finished his MSc degree in Medicinal Chemistry in the University of Coimbra in 2017, with the thesis entitled “Synthesis and study of new photosensitizers with potential for antimicrobial therapy”, which focused on the development of new phthalocyanine-type photosensitizer dyes through structure-activity relationships.

His current work focuses on the development of synthetic methods and biological evaluation of potential new antibiotics and alternative antimicrobial therapies.

He is author and co-author of 9 peer-reviewed articles, 1 book chapter, 1 patent, 13 oral communications and 16 poster presentations.

Andreia Cristina da Silva Gonzalez was born in Lamego, Viseu, Portugal, in 1994.

She is currently a PhD student in Chemistry, with specialization in Catalysis and Sustainability, at the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of the University of Coimbra, with her PhD project entitled “Development of photosensitive antimicrobial polymeric materials via catalytic carbonylation processes of sequential CO₂/epoxide copolymerization“.

In July 2020, she completed her Master’s in Chemistry, with a specialization in Advanced and Industrial Chemistry, at the University of Coimbra.

Of the scientific works developed to date, she published two scientific articles and another in co-authorship.

In addition, her work developed over the past few years also resulted in an oral presentation and three posters at national and international meetings/conferences.

Her social, personal and work skills were acquired in scientific meetings, such as CICAT-2018, support and monitoring of visits by secondary school students to the Catalysis and Fine Chemistry laboratory of the Chemistry Center of Coimbra and also as a volunteer in the formulation and availability of disinfectant gel for social institutions.

Her current research interests are the development of catalysts for CO₂ activation and the development of photosensitive antimicrobial polymeric materials through catalytic processes to overcome the challenge of antimicrobial resistance.

Zoé Moreira is currently doing her PhD studies in Medical Chemistry at the University of Coimbra.

She accomplished a BSc in Medicinal Chemistry in 2019 – University of Coimbra, with the Master’s Thesis “Development of cationic photosensitizers for photoinactivation of microorganisms“.

She was awarded the top 3% Best Students Award successively in 2019 and 2020.

To date, she published one article and presented 3 posters, 3 oral communications and 1 Flash communication in Scientific Meetings. She is also co-inventor of a pending patent (PPP116946).

Zoé Moreira was awarded 2 merit-based scholarships: 2020 FCT Summer School in Medicinal Chemistry; and Chemistry Research Center 2019. She did an internship at PorphyChem in Dijon, France in 2020 and at the University of Heidelberg, Germany in 2021.

Her current research interests are focused on the development of porphyrin-derived photosensitizers for antimicrobial action.

Alexandre Pires Felgueiras finished his degree in Chemistry at the University of Coimbra in 2019, winning a national merit award, attributed by the Portuguese Chemical Society to the best chemistry students in 2016/2017.

During his exploratory studies for his degree, he developed work in the field of organic chemistry, specifically, in the asymmetric synthesis of (2-tetrazole-5-yl)-2H-azirines via Neber reaction.

In 2020 he finished his Master in Chemistry (Advanced and Industrial Chemistry, with the thesis “Catalysts for Sustainable Development of Sequential Process“.

Alexandre Felgueiras was awarded two research scholarships (2019-2020), in which he developed work in the field of phosphorus ligand synthesis and their metal complexes for use as catalysts in sequential reactions centred on hydroformylation.

He is the co-author of two articles, and has presented 1 oral and 2 poster communications in Scientific Meetings.

His current research interests, in collaboration with the Pharmaceutical Industry, are centred on the development of catalytic carbonylation processes for the synthesis of APIs by continuous flow chemistry.