Monday, 1/29/2018
22nd and 23rd January 2018, Campus of Gualtar,
Braga
Lucília Maria
Alves Ribeiro Domingues, professor at the Department of Biological Engineering
(DEB) and researcher of the Centre of Biological Engineering (CEB) of the EEUM,
obtained in January the academic degree of habilitation, approved by unanimity
of the jury members.
The
habilitation exams took place over two days, beginning with the presentation of
the candidate’s curriculum to the jury members – Isabel Maria de Sá Correia
Leite de Almeida (University of Lisboa), Maria Raquel Múrias dos Santos Aires
Barros (University of Lisboa), Maria Ascensão Carvalho Fernandes Miranda Reis
(Universidade Nova of Lisboa), Maria Madalena dos Santos Alves (EEUM), Eugénio
Manuel de Faria Campos Ferreira (EEUM), José António Couto Teixeira (EEUM),
Lorenzo Miguel Pastrana Castro (INL – International Iberian Nanotechnology
Laboratory) – followed by an analysis and discussion of a report that addresses
the curricular unit of Molecular Biotechnology, which integrates the studies’
programme of the Integrated Master Programme in Biological Engineering of the
EEUM.
On the second
part of the exam, Lucília Maria Alves Ribeiro Domingues presented the seminar
entitled “Integration of Yeast Genetic Engineering in Process Intensification
of Second-Generation Biorefineries”, during which the professor presented the
challenges for the second generation of biorefineries to be economically
competitive processes and demonstrated how genetic and metabolic engineering
strategies applied to the chassis of robust yeasts can contribute to overcome
some of these challenges. The synthetic biology and metabolic engineering tools
available today ensure that efficiency in yeast genetic modification is no
longer a limitation in efforts to achieve economically attractive products for
new biorefineries. The examples presented certify how the integration of these
strategies in the intensification of processes of conversion of biomass into
bioethanol is useful and how they can boost the development of economic and
sustainable processes based on the production of different compounds of high
value from lignocellulosic biomass.
The
habilitation degree is granted to professors to whom a high merit professional
curriculum demonstrating relevant research activity, advanced training or supervision
is recognised, along with the authorship of high quality scientific papers
after obtaining a doctoral degree.
