I obtained my MSc degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Aveiro in 2013. In July of 2018, I completed my PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Aveiro, funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) through a PhD scholarship. During the PhD I had the opportunity to broaden my scientific skills abroad, through trainees at Universidade Estadual Paulista, Brazil, and Tokyo University of Agriculture, Japan. After finishing my PhD, I moved to the Technical University of Munich (TUM, one of the world's top universities), Germany, as a postdoctoral researcher, to work on the purification of compounds from microalgae in collaboration with the company Oceanbasis, with a TUM University Foundation Fellowship. This fellowship is awarded once a year by TUM, where ca. 10 young scientists are selected from all over the world. Currently, I am a researcher at UA working in the chiral resolution of drugs by enantioselective aqueous biphasic systems, being the importance of this work recognized in the international conference Biopartitioning & Purification 2019 (BR) with the award for best presentation poster sponsored by Elsevier. Up to the data, I am in 2 funded R&D projects. I am PI of 1 funded project (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030750, 239893 EUR), and team member in another funded project (POCI-01-0247-FEDER-045304, 297976 EUR) in collaboration with the company Mistolin. Overall, in these last years, I gathered a vast knowledge on the development of sustainable extraction/purification platforms (using both solid- and liquid-liquid extraction) of compounds from different matrices, showing my commitment to science in the benefit of the environment and society.
Since the beginning of my research activities, I filled 1 national patent, published 2 book chapters, 18 SCI papers and 1 journal cover, with 600+ citations and an h-index of 13. I have published in various high IF journals, namely Green Chem (IF 9.48, 8/18 SCI), ACS Sustain Chem Eng (IF 7.63), Chem Commun (IF 5.99), Sep Purif Technol (IF 5.77) and others. I am the first author in 9/18 SCI papers and worked with 43 co-authors. Moreover, I contributed with 90+ communications.
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2014-2018: PhD in Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Portugal.
2008-2013: MSc in Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Portugal.
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Chemical Engineering
Development of innovative, integrated and sustainable processes for the extraction and separation of value-added compounds (alkaloids, amino acids, phenolic acids and others natural compounds) with therapeutic features from biomass, as well as wastes, using aqueous solutions of ionic liquids and surfactants, within a biorefinery perspective (circular economy).
Biotechnology
Development of cost-effective purification and recovery processes for several value‐added biopharmaceuticals, namely proteins, enzymes, antibodies, and nucleic‐acids‐based products.
Chemistry/Physical Chemistry
Understand the molecular‐level mechanisms which rule the liquid-liquid equilibria and the extraction performance of separation processes, by the determination of thermodynamic properties of solution, solvation and transfer.
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MSc students
Isa R. M. Sucena, Valorizção de residuos plásticos: extração de corantes utilizando solventes alternativos, MSc Thesis in Chemical Engineering, Supervisors: Dr. Ana M. Ferreira and Prof. Dr. João A.P. Coutinho, University of Aveiro, 2020/2021 (in progress).
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, 2020/2021 (in progress).
Brayan Cruz, O efeito hidrotrópico de compostos zwiteriónicos no desenvolvimento de novas formulações farmacêuticas, MSc Thesis in Biochemistry, Supervisors: Dr. Helena Passos and Dr. Ana M. Ferreira, 2020/2021 (in progress).
Guilherme A. S. V. B. Barros, Extração de dopamina de fontes naturais com benefícios para a saúde, MSc Thesis in Chemical Engineering, Supervisors: Dr. Ana M. Ferreira and Prof. Dr. João A.P. Coutinho, University of Aveiro, 2019/2020.
BSc students
Ana S. F. Pinto, Avaliação do efeito hidrotrópico de compostos zwiteriónicos de baixa toxicidade para aplicação na indústria farmacêutica, Graduation in biochemistry, Supervisors: Dr. Helena Passos and Dr. Ana M. Ferreira, University of Aveiro, 2019/2020.
Tatiana D. Ferreira, valiação do efeito hidrotrópico de compostos zwiteriónicos de baixa toxicidade para aplicação na indústria farmacêutica, Graduation in biotechnology, Supervisors: Dr. Helena Passos and Dr. Ana M. Ferreira, University of Aveiro, 2019/2020.
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Propranolol resolution using enantioselective biphasic systemsCarreira, ARF; Ferreira, AM; Almeida, MR; Coutinho, JAP; Sintra, T 2021, Separation and Purification Technology, 254,
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Using COSMO-RS in the Design of Deep Eutectic Solvents for the Extraction of Antioxidants from RosemaryWojeicchowski, JP; Ferreira, AM; Abranches, DO; Mafra, MR; Coutinho, JAP 2020, ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING, 8, 32, 12132-12141.
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Recovery of Syringic Acid from Industrial Food Waste with Aqueous Solutions of Ionic Liquidsde Faria, ELP; Ferreira, AM; Claudio, AFM; Coutinho, JAP; Silvestre, AJD; Freire, MG 2019, ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING, 7, 16, 14143-14152.
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Continuous separation of cytochrome-c PEGylated conjugates by fast centrifugal partition chromatographySantos, JHPM; Ferreira, AM; Almeida, MR; Quinteiro, PSGN; Dias, ACRV; Coutinho, JAP; Freire, MG; Rangel-Yagui, CO; Ventura, SPM 2019, GREEN CHEMISTRY, 21, 20, 5501-5506.
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Cloud Point Extraction of Chlorophylls from Spinach Leaves Using Aqueous Solutions of Nonionic SurfactantsLeite, AC; Ferreira, AM; Morais, ES; Khan, I; Freire, MG; Coutinho, JAP 2018, ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING, 6, 1, 590-599.
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An integrated process for enzymatic catalysis allowing product recovery and enzyme reuse by applying thermoreversible aqueous biphasic systemsFerreira, AM; Passos, H; Okafuji, A; Tavares, APM; Ohno, H; Freire, MG; Coutinho, JAP 2018, GREEN CHEMISTRY, 20, 6, 1218-1223.
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Enhanced separation performance of aqueous biphasic systems formed by carbohydrates and tetraalkylphosphonium- or tetraalkylammonium-based ionic liquidsQuental, MV; Pereira, MM; Ferreira, AM; Pedro, SN; Shahriari, S; Mohamadou, A; Coutinho, JAP; Freire, MG 2018, GREEN CHEMISTRY, 20, 13, 2978-2983.
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Designing the thermal behaviour of aqueous biphasic systems composed of ammonium-based zwitterionsFerreira, AM; Passos, H; Okafuji, A; Freire, MG; Coutinho, JAP; Ohno, H 2017, GREEN CHEMISTRY, 19, 17, 4012-4016.
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Enhanced extraction and biological activity of 7-hydroxymatairesinol obtained from Norway spruce knots using aqueous solutions of ionic liquidsFerreira, AM; Morais, ES; Leite, AC; Mohamadou, A; Holmbom, B; Holmbom, T; Neves, BM; Coutinho, JAP; Freire, MG; Silvestre, AJD 2017, GREEN CHEMISTRY, 19, 11, 2626-2635.
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Switchable (pH-driven) aqueous biphasic systems formed by ionic liquids as integrated production-separation platformsFerreira, AM; Claudio, AFM; Valega, M; Domingues, FMJ; Silvestre, AJD; Rogers, RD; Coutinho, JAP; Freire, MG 2017, GREEN CHEMISTRY, 19, 12, 2768-2773.
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Are Aqueous Biphasic Systems Composed of Deep Eutectic Solvents Ternary or Quaternary Systems?Passos, H; Tavares, DJP; Ferreira, AM; Freire, MG; Coutinho, JAP 2016, ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING, 4, 5, 2881-2886.
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Enhanced tunability afforded by aqueous biphasic systems formed by fluorinated ionic liquids and carbohydratesFerreira, AM; Esteves, PDO; Boal-Palheiros, I; Pereiro, AB; Rebelo, LPN; Freire, MG 2016, GREEN CHEMISTRY, 18, 4, 1070-1079.
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Improving the extraction and purification of immunoglobulin G by the use of ionic liquids as adjuvants in aqueous biphasic systemsFerreira, AM; Faustino, VFM; Mondal, D; Coutinho, JAP; Freire, MG 2016, JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY, 236, 166-175.
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Extração e Purificação de Produtos de Valor Acrescentado Utilizando Sistemas Aquosos Bifásicos Constituídos por Líquidos IónicosFerreira, AM; Freire, MG 2015, Química - Boletim da SPQ, 139, 23-34.
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Complete removal of textile dyes from aqueous media using ionic-liquid-based aqueous two-phase systemsFerreira, AM; Coutinho, JAP; Fernandes, AM; Freire, MG 2014, SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY, 128, 58-66.
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Anti-Cancer BiosurfactantsFlávia F. Magalhães, João C. F. Nunes, Marília T. Araújo, Ana M. Ferreira, Mafalda R. Almeida, Mara G. Freire, Ana P. M. Tavares In Springer (Eds.), Microbial Biosurfactants 2021, 159-196.
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Purification, characterization and clinical applications of therapeutic fungal enzymesMafalda R. Almeida, Ana M. Ferreira, João C. F. Nunes and Ana P. M. Tavares In Pankaj Kumar Chaurasia and Shashi Lata Bharati (Eds.), Research Advances in the Fungal World: Culture, Isolation, Identification, Classification, Characterization, Properties and Kinetics 2020, 273-320. Nova Science Publishers.
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