Inês Cardoso Pereira, Principal Investigator and Vice-dean at ITQB NOVA was elected Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO), as a recognition of outstanding achievements in the life sciences, notably her work on Bioenergetics and biocatalysis in anaerobic bacteria.
EMBO has over 1800 renowned researchers, including almost 100 Nobel prize winners. Two dozens of those researchers come from Portugal. Inês Cardoso Pereira now joins ITQB NOVA PIs Mariana Gomes Pinho, Cecília Arraiano and Maria Arménia Carrondo in the prestigious organization. Claudina Rodrigues-Pousada, ITQB NOVA PI who passed away recently, was also a member of the organization.
The researchers are elected by peers, in recognition of their work in areas such as cell biology, immunology and molecular medicine, among others. This election also recognises the importance of basic research in life sciences and the importance of recruiting and supporting the best researchers in Portugal.
About Inês Cardoso Pereira
Inês Cardoso Pereira is Vice Dean and Full Professor at ITQB NOVA, where she leads the Bacterial Energy Metabolism laboratory. She is also the Director of the LS4Future Associated Laboratory, which brings together researchers from ITQB NOVA, IGC, iBET, IPOLisboa and CEDOC/NMS.
Her lab is dedicated to the study of the physiology of anaerobic microorganisms, and to the application of biological systems in biocatalysis for the production of green hydrogen and CO2 capture, contributing to a circular economy. Her research has a strong focus on environmental microorganisms that are important for the Sulphur cycle and components of the gut microbiota. Her group’s work has led to a revision of the metabolic pathways involved in the dissimilative reduction of sulphate, a process with great environmental impact. In parallel, and with a more applied focus, they have also studied redox enzymes of anaerobic bacteria and the use of these enzymes or of the bacteria themselves in biohybrid systems for the production of Hydrogen and the reduction of CO2 from electricity or sunlight.
Inês Cardoso Pereira holds a degree in Applied Chemistry from the NOVA School of Science and Technology | FCT NOVA and a PhD from Oxford University.
Source and photo: ITQB NOVA