Biography
I am a principal scientist at Novartis Pharma Lab, which I joined in 2023. In this role, I have contributed to Novartis’s R&D pipeline, working and managing projects on virus-based gene therapies. Prior to this, I worked as a senior scientist (2014) at the Animal Cell Technology Unit, iBET, specializing in downstream process development. In 2019, I transitioned to iBET’s Late-Stage R&D Unit.
I hold a degree in chemical engineering (2008) and a PhD in chemical and biochemical engineering with a specialization in process simulation and optimization (2013), both from Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia – Universidade Nova de Lisboa. My academic contributions include 35 peer-reviewed publications and 5 book chapters/conference proceedings. Additionally, I have successfully supervised 3 PhD students (1 ongoing) and 5 MSc students.
Currently, I am the principal investigator of an FCT-funded project and an iBETXplore project. My research is centered on developing downstream processes for purifying complex biotherapeutic targets, such as cell-based products, monoclonal antibodies, virus-based biologics, recombinant proteins, and extracellular vesicles. My specific interests include cyclic adsorption processes in continuous simulated countercurrent and preparative liquid chromatography. I also specialize in mechanistic process modeling, process development, and optimization, as well as process control, intensification, and automation.