Carla Vilela

Assistant Professor

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  • Chemistry
  • 29.2.34

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Biography

Carla Vilela, born in Aveiro (Portugal), graduated in Chemical Engineering in 2004 and obtained a MSc degree in Materials Science and Engineering (EMMS) in 2008 at the University of Aveiro (UAVR, Portugal). During her MSc studies, she was awarded with a merit grant from the Joint European Masters Programme in Materials Science (EMMS). In 2008, CVilela started working as a grant holder on a National project (034/7.1/ADI/NOR) with Association Network for Competence in Polymers (Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto, FEUP, Portugal), which set the stage for the beginning of her PhD studies at UAVR (PhD grant SFRH/BD/44884/2008 awarded by the Portuguese Foundation from Science and Technology (FCT)) concerning the valorisation of vegetable oils as sources of novel macromolecular materials derived from renewable resources.

After finishing her PhD in 2012, she participated as a grant holder in the National project PTDC/QUI-QUI/120982/2010 – Creating value from bio-wastes: suberin extraction and biotransformation in biocompatible ionic liquids aiming on novel biomaterials and compounds (University NOVA of Lisbon and University of Aveiro, Portugal). From June 2013 to December 2018, she was a post-doctoral researcher at CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials holding a postdoctoral fellowship (SFRH/BPD/84168/2012) awarded by FCT. From January 2019 to June 2020, she was a Doctoral Researcher under the "Norma Transitória DL 57/2016 - Lei 57/2017" awarded by FCT, and again a visiting researcher at the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source (UK). From July 2020 to May 2022, she was an Assistant Researcher (CEEC Individual research contract awarded by FCT, CEECIND/00263/2018) and, from June 2022 to January 2024, she was a Principal Researcher (research contract awarded by FCT, 2021.01571.CEECIND) at the same institute.

Currently, she is an Assistant Professor of Sustainable Materials at the Department of Chemistry of the University of Aveiro and a Principal Researcher (CEEC Individual research contract awarded by FCT, 2021.01571.CEECIND) at CICECO, where she is a member of the research group (G4) on Renewable Materials and Circular Economy and the coordinator of the research line (L3) on Sustainability. She is also the coordinator of the SusChem PT – National Technology Platform on Sustainable Chemistry and a Principal Investigator of one national project (Cell4Janus, PTDC/BII-BIO/1901/2021) and one PRIMA project (Im-Pack). She carries out research at the forefront of Sustainable Materials Science and Engineering, more specifically in the domain of Cellulose and Renewable Materials as sustainable alternative solutions to meet the demands of different fields of application (e.g., water remediation, food packaging and textiles).

CVilela is the author of 92 SCI papers (h-index: 38; citations: >4500), 3 books, 5 book chapters, 10 filed patents, 2 datasets, 8 abstracts of papers of the American Chemical Society, 15 conference proceedings, and more than 170 communications in national and international conferences. She was featured in the list of the World's Top 2% Scientists by the Stanford University as one of the most cited scientists in 2020, 2021 and 2022. She already supervised 50 students (at BSc, MSc and PhD levels), 2 post-doctoral researchers and 7 research fellows. Her current research team includes 2 junior researchers, and 2 MSc and 5 PhD students.

CVilela is an Associate Editor of Chemistry Africa (Springer Nature), Early Career Advisory Board Member of ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (ACS), Editorial Board Member of Discover Polymers (Springer) and Polysaccharides (MDPI), and Topic Advisory Panel Member of Nanomaterials (MDPI) and was an Editorial Board Member of the journal Cogent Chemistry (Taylor & Francis Group, 2018-2020). She has acted as invited Guest Editor for Applied Science (2018), Materials (2019-2022) and Nanomaterials (2019-2022) journals (MDPI) and is an active reviewer for international journals (e.g., Nature Commun., ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng., Carbohydr. Polym., Sci. Reports, Environ. Sci. Technol., ACS Nano). She was a participant of the COST Action FP1405 (ActInPak, 2015-2019), and is a member of the European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence (EPNOE).

Research group

BioPol4fun - Innovation in biopolymer based functional materials and bioactive compounds

11biopol4fun.jpg

Follow the group activities at:

https://pt.linkedin.com/in/biopol4fun-group-1398a315b

https://twitter.com/BioPol4 

Selected Publications

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Ongoing Supervisions

Inês da Silva Lito Farias

PhD Student

João Pedro Fernandes Carvalho

PhD Student

William

Junior Researcher

Projects

Bioeconomia para Têxtil e Vestuário (BE@T)

PartnerIndustry National
Apoiada pelo Plano de Recuperação e Resiliência (PRR), a indústria têxtil nacional vai investir 138 milhões de euros na bioeconomia sustentável, procurando a mudança de paradigma para o setor e a criação de produtos de alto valor ...

Engineering self-propelled cellulose-based Janus microrobots (Cell4Janus)

CoordinatorFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

From Fossil To Forest (FF2F (Biocomposites))

PartnerIndustry National
This Innovation Pact is aimed at developing cellulose-based packaging and products to replace fossil-based plastics. In this context, it comprises the following six work packages: (1) high yield pulp and brown paper; (2) paper with increased mechanical strength; (3) paper with barrier properties; (4) biocomposites; (5) paper sensors for...

Inovação na Fileira da Resina Natural para Reforço da Bioeconomia Nacional (RN21)

PartnerIndustry National
A transição para uma economia mais sustentável, oferece inúmeras oportunidades para revitalizar os setores mais tradicionais da economia portuguesa, onde destacamos a produção e transformação da resina natural.O Projeto Integrado RN21 – Ino...

Pacto da Bioeconomia azul (BIOECOAZUL (Termoendurecíveis))

PartnerIndustry National
The world needs a new business model capable of economic growth decoupling raw materials from natural resources. Thus the Blue Bioeconomy Pact has embraced the challenge of reindustrialising Portuguese industries with the integration of blue biotechnology solutions in the value chains, enhancing the sustainable use of marine bio-resourc...

Pacto da Bioeconomia azul (BIOECOAZUL (Termoplásticos a desenvolver))

PartnerIndustry National
The world needs a new business model capable of economic growth decoupling raw materials from natural resources. Thus the Blue Bioeconomy Pact has embraced the challenge of reindustrialising Portuguese industries with the integration of blue biotechnology solutions in the value chains, enhancing the sustainable use of marine bio-resourc...

Pacto da Bioeconomia azul (BIOECOAZUL (Plásticos já existentes))

PartnerIndustry National
The world needs a new business model capable of economic growth decoupling raw materials from natural resources. Thus the Blue Bioeconomy Pact has embraced the challenge of reindustrialising Portuguese industries with the integration of blue biotechnology solutions in the value chains, enhancing the sustainable use of marine bio-resourc...

FLUI - Sistemas de extrusão duplo paralelo de ácido polilático com injeção modular de compostos bioativos para a produção de filmes flexíveis mono e multi-camada biofuncionais para embalagens de produtos alimentares a partir de resíduos lenho-celulós (FLUI)

Local CoordinatorIndustry National
A solução apresentada pelo projeto FLUI visa o sucesso da obtenção de equipamentos inovadores e disruptivos com as soluções presentes no mercado (TRL6) para a produção de filmes flexíveis biofuncionais com flexibilidade, mono e multicamada...

Green chemicals and technologies for the wood-to-textile value chain. (GRETE)

PartnerEuropean Comission
The GRETE project will tackle the challenges caused by increased global demand for sustainable textile fibres by offering new breakthroughs in the wood-to-textile value chain. The substitution of cotton by man-made cellulose fibres is also necessary because of sustainability issues. Currently the raw material base for the production of man-made ...

Publications

Poly(glycidyl methacrylate)/bacterial cellulose nanocomposites: Preparation, characterization and post-modification

Faria, M; Vilela, C; Mohammadkazemi, F; Silvestre, AJD; Freire, CSR; Cordeiro, N
2019, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES, 127, 618-627.
ISBN: 1879-0003

Nanocellulose-based antifungal nanocomposites against the polymorphic fungus Candida albicans

Vilela, C; Oliveira, H; Almeida, A; Silvestre, AJD; Freire, CSR
2019, CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS, 217, 207-216.
ISBN: 1879-1344

Zwitterionic Nanocellulose-Based Membranes for Organic Dye Removal

Vilela, C; Moreirinha, C; Almeida, A; Silvestre, AJD; Freire, CSR
2019, MATERIALS, 12, 9.

A compendium of current developments on polysaccharide and protein-based microneedles

Fonseca, DFS; Vilela, C; Silvestre, AJD; Freire, CSR
2019, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES, 136, 704-728.
ISBN: 1879-0003

Multilayered nanocellulose based systems for skin regeneration

Freire, C; Fonseca, D; Vilela, C; Silvestre, A
2019, ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, 257.

Polysaccharide-based microneedles for transdermal delivery of insulin

Freire, C; Fonseca, D; Vilela, C; Costa, P; Almeida, I; Pereira, P; Silvestre, A
2019, ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, 257.

Synthesis and characterization of photoactive porphyrin and poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) based materials with bactericidal properties

Castro, KADF; Moura, NMM; Simoes, MMQ; Cavaleiro, JAS; Faustino, MDF; Cunha, A; Paz, FAA; Mendes, RF; Almeida, A; Freire, CSR; Vilela, C; Silvestre, AJD; Nakagaki, S; Neves, MDPMS
2019, APPLIED MATERIALS TODAY, 16, 332-341.

Nanocellulose-based materials as components of polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Vilela, C; Silvestre, AJD; Figueiredo, FML; Freire, CSR
2019, JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A, 7, 35, 20045-20074.
ISBN: 2050-7496

Exploiting poly(e-caprolactone) and cellulose nanofibrils modified with latex nanoparticles for the development of biodegradable nanocomposites

Vilela, C; Engstrom, J; Valente, BFA; Jawerth, M; Carlmark, A; Freire, CSR
2019, POLYMER COMPOSITES, 40, 4, 1342-1353.
ISBN: 1548-0569

Antimicrobial and Conductive Nanocellulose-Based Films for Active and Intelligent Food Packaging

Vilela, C; Moreirinha, C; Domingues, EM; Figueiredo, FML; Almeida, A; Freire, CSR
2019, NANOMATERIALS, 9, 7.

Advanced Nanocellulose-Based Materials: Production, Properties and Applications

C. Vilela; C.S.R. Freire
2022, MDPI.
ISBN: 978-3-0365-3190-8

Advanced Biopolymer-Based Nanocomposites and Hybrid Materials

Armando J. D. Silvestre; Carmen S.R. Freire; Carla Vilela
2021, Basel, MDPI.
ISBN: 978-3-0365-0511-4

Polysaccharide Based Hybrid Materials, Metals and Metal Oxides, Graphene and Carbon Nanotubes

Carla Vilela, Ricardo J. B. Pinto, Susana Pinto, Paula Marques, Armando J. D. Silvestre, Carmen S. R. Freire
2018, Springer.
ISBN: 978-3-030-00347-0

Active packaging

In Galanakis, Charis (Eds.), Sustainable Food Processing and Engineering Challenges
Carvalho, João P.F.; Freire, Carmen S.R.; Vilela, Carla
2021, Academic Press.
ISBN: 9780128227145

Modification of textiles for functional applications

In Md. Ibrahim H. Mondal (Eds.), Fundamentals of Natural Fibres and Textiles
Ana C. Q. Silva, Armando J. D. Silvestre, Carmen S. R. Freire, Carla Vilela
2021, 303-365, Elsevier.
ISBN: 9780128214831

Development and applications of cellulose nanofibres based polymer nanocomposites

In Ehsan Bafekrpour (Eds.), Advanced Composite Materials: Properties and Applications
Carla Vilela, Ricardo J. B. Pinto, Ana R. P. Figueiredo, Carlos Pascoal Neto, Armando J. D. Silvestre, Carmen S. R. Freire
2017, 1-65, Warsaw/Berlin, De Gruyter Open.
ISBN: 9783110574432

Polyethylene Terephthalate: Copolyesters, Composites, and Renewable Alternatives

In P. M. Visakh Mong Liang (Eds.), Poly(ethylene Terephthalate) Based Blends, Composites and Nanocomposites.
Andreia F. Sousa, Carla Vilela, Marina Matos, Carmen S.R. Freire, Armando J.D. Silvestre, Jorge F.J. Coelho
2015, 111-139, Elsevier Science Ltd.
ISBN: 9780323313063

2 Bacterial  Cellulose-Based  Nanocomposites: Roadmap for Innovative Materials

Nanocellulose Polymer Nanocomposites: Fundamentals and Applications
A. R. P. Figueiredo, C. Vilela, C. Pascoal Neto, A.J.D. Silvestre and C.S.R. Freire
2014, Scrivener, Willey.
ISBN: 978-1-118-87190-4

Advanced Nanocellulose-Based Materials: Production, Properties and Applications

C. Vilela; C.S.R. Freire
2022, MDPI.
ISBN: 978-3-0365-3190-8

Advanced Biopolymer-Based Nanocomposites and Hybrid Materials

Armando J. D. Silvestre; Carmen S.R. Freire; Carla Vilela
2021, Basel, MDPI.
ISBN: 978-3-0365-0511-4

Polysaccharide Based Hybrid Materials, Metals and Metal Oxides, Graphene and Carbon Nanotubes

Carla Vilela, Ricardo J. B. Pinto, Susana Pinto, Paula Marques, Armando J. D. Silvestre, Carmen S. R. Freire
2018, Springer.
ISBN: 978-3-030-00347-0

Synthesis of new vegetable oil-based polymeric materials

Carla Vilela
2012, supervised by Alessandro Gandini, Armando J. D. Silvestre.

Synthesis and Characterization of Cellulose/CaCO3 Nanocomposites

Carla Vilela
2008, supervised by Carlos de Pascoal Neto, Tito Trindade.

Novel multilayered nanostructured drug delivery systems obtained by layer-by-layer assembly of cellulose nanocrystals

Maia. M, Vilela. C, Pinto. R, Valente. B, Carvalho. T, Freire. C
2018.

Biosorbent films based on nanocellulose and lysozyme nanofibers for efficient removal of mercury (II) from natural waters

Silva, N; Figueira, P; Vilela, C; Pinto, R; Marrucho, I; Periera, M; Freire, C
2018, ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, 255.

Cellulose nanofibrils modified with latex nanoparticles as reinforcement for biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone)-based composites

C. Vilela, J. Engström, B.F.A. Valente, M. Jawerth, A. Carlmark, C.S.R. Freire
.

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