Helena Passos obtained her MSc degree in Chemical Engineering in 2012. After being awarded with a PhD grant from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, she completed her PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Aveiro in June of 2017. During the PhD, Helena Passos had additional trainees activities at Technical University of Dortmund, Germany and Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan. After, she worked as a post-doctoral researcher in an international ERA-MIN project concerning the recovery of cobalt and REE from NiMH batteries recycling and in a European Research Council project, the “IgYPurTech”, focused on the use of aqueous biphasic systems for the purification of egg yolk antibodies as alternative biopharmaceuticals. Currently, Helena Passos is a Researcher (CEEC IND 2017) at CICECO, working in the development of novel and sustainable processes for the recovery and recycling of critical metals from waste streams.

Helena Passos has published 38 articles in international peer reviewed multidisciplinary high impact journals (+1200 citations, h-index 17 (Scopus)). Moreover, she has contributed with +150 oral and posters communications and 1 plenary and 1 invited lecture lecture in national and international conferences and meetings.

PATh Research Group
It deals with the study of novel solvents and the development of sustainable products and processes

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2013 - 2017 | European PhD in Chemical Engineering, with specialization in Bioengineering | University of Aveiro, Portugal | Thesis title "Development and characterization of new extraction platforms using ionic-liquid-based aqueous biphasic systems", supervised by Prof. Dr. João A.P. Coutinho (UA) and co-supervised by Dr. Mara G. Freire (UA).

2007 - 2012 | MSc in Chemical Engineering | University of Aveiro, Portugal | Thesis title "Extraction of bioactive compounds with ionic liquid aqueous solutions", supervised by Prof. Dr. João A.P. Coutinho (UA) and co-supervised by Dr. Mara G. Freire (UA).

07/2017–04/2019 | Post-doctoral researcher | CICECO, University of Aveiro, Portugal.

09/2016-12/2016 | Researcher as PhD student | Department of Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan.

03/2013-05/2013 | Researcher as PhD student | Laboratory of Thermodynamics, Technical University of Dortmund, Germany.

08/2011 | Trainee student in quality control (professional traineeship) | Bresfor - Indústria do Formol, S.A., Portugal.

10/2009-09/2010 | Scholarship Researcher (BII 09) | Chemistry Department, CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, Portugal.

-> Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2018, 20, 8411-8422.
    Included in the themed collections “2018 PCCP HOT Articles” and “PCCP Perspectives”

-> Green Chem. 2018, 20, 1218-1223. 
    Research Highlight in Nature Catalysis, 2018, 1, 235 (DOI:10.1038/s41929-018-0066-9)

-> Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 15058-15062.

-> Green Chem. 2017, 19, 4012-4016.
    Included in the themed collections: “International Symposium on Green Chemistry 2017” and “2017 Green Chemistry Hot Articles”

-> ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng. 2016, 4, 2881-2886.

-> Green Chem. 2014, 16, 4786-4815.
    Highly Cited Paper

- Passos, H., Alves, M. V., (2019) Química em flash, Rev. Ciência Elem., V7(1):012 (http://doi.org/10.24927/rce2019.012)

MSc students

- Sandra Silva, “De resíduos alimentares a compostos de valor acrescentado utilizando soluções aquosas de solventes alternativos” | MSc Thesis in Biochemistry | Supervisors: Dr. Ana M. Ferreira and Dr. Helena Passos, University of Aveiro | 2020/2021 (in progress).

- Brayan Cruz, “Zwitterions as hydrotropes to enhance the solubility of drugs in water” | MSc Thesis in Biochemistry | Supervisors: Dr. Helena Passos and Dr. Ana M. Ferreira, University of Aveiro | 2020/2021.

BSc students

Nuno F. A. Pedrosa, “Aplicação da microalga Phaeodactylum tricornutum como um pré-concentrador de metais” | Graduation in Biotechnology | Supervisors: Dr. Helena Passos and Prof. Dr. João A.P. Coutinho, University of Aveiro | 2020/2021.

António J. da R. Coelho, “Use of bottom ashes as a secondary source for the recovery of transition metals and critical materials” | Graduation in Biotechnology | Supervisors: Dr. Helena Passos and Dr. Nicolas Schaeffer, University of Aveiro | 2020/2021.

Ana S. R. Pinto, “Hydrotropic effect of zwitterionic compounds as a strategy to facilitate the administration of drugs” | Graduation in Biochemistry | Supervisors: Dr. Helena Passos and Dr. Ana M. Ferreira, University of Aveiro | 2019/2020.

Tatiana D. Ferreira, “Avaliação do efeito hidrotrópico de compostos zwiteriónicos para aplicação na indústria farmacêutica” | Graduation in Biotechnology | Supervisors: Dr. Helena Passos and Dr. Ana M. Ferreira, University of Aveiro | 2019/2020.

Brayan I. Cruz, “Metals extraction from acid mine drainage water – the São Domingos mine” | Graduation in Biochemistry | Supervisors: Prof. Dr. João A.P. Coutinho and Dr. Helena Passos, University of Aveiro | 2017/2018.

Sara H. S. Costa, “Extraction and selective separation of dyes with aqueous multiphasic systems” | Graduation in Biotechnology | Supervisors: Prof. Dr. João A.P. Coutinho and Dr. Helena Passos, University of Aveiro | 2013/2014.