Ana Sofia Oliveira completed her MSc Degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal. Oliveira is currently a Research Fellow at RISE-Health, Department of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Portugal. In her research, she studies the anti-acne potential of Portuguese natural resources, such as aromatic and medicinal plants, to act as modulators of key disease events or hallmarks. Her main research interests are in mucocutaneous infections and skin ailments. Additionally, she focuses on finding alternative treatments or adjuvants through the study of the bioactive potential of extracts and preparations from aromatic and medicinal plants along with other natural resources.
Joana Rolo is an guest Auxiliary Professor at the University of Beira Interior. She completed her PhD in Molecular Biology in 2016 at Nova University Lisbon. Joana Rolo focused on the role of mobile genetic elements in the evolution and adaptation to a host of skin bacterial commensals. In 2017, Rolo was awarded a postdoctoral fellowship funded by the FCT to develop her work and her scientific career at the Centro de Investigação em Ciências da Saúde of the University of Beira Interior (CICS-UBI) in collaboration with the Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology of the University of Coimbra. Her research interests have been focused on host-pathogen interactions, both in the basic molecular mechanisms and cues used by the pathogens to persist in mucosae, and also on their immunomodulatory ability of the host immune defenses.
Maria José Alves graduated in Clinical Analysis and Public Health from the Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra (Coimbra School of Health Technology). She obtained a Master’s in Toxicology from the University of Aveiro and a PhD in Biotechnology—Microbiology Branch from the
Catholic University, Porto. Alves worked as a Clinical Analysis and Public Health Technician in public functions at the Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro E.P.E Hospital Center—Chaves Unit in the Clinical Pathology and Immunohemotherapy Service. Her research work is developed in the field of Microbiology, particularly in the area of resistance and natural products, through which the bioactivity of natural matrices is tested, especially the antimicrobial activity and biofilm inhibition using clinical isolates.
