ResearcherID: T-4722-2017

ORCID iD: 0000-0003-4376-6471

ResearchGate: Diana_Filipa_Araújo

Lab. 407 - Chemistry Department

Ph: +351 212 948 300, ext. 10947

Email: df.araujo@fct.unl.pt

Education:

(2023) PhD in Chemical and Biological Engineering, FCT/UNL

(2013) MSc in Biotechnology, FCT/UNL

(2011) Bachelor in Biochemistry, FCT/UNL

Research interests:

• Sustainable Production of Microbial Biopolymers
• Waste Valorization
• Production & Characterization of Biopolymers (Polysaccharides and Polyhydroxyalkoanates)
• Development & Characterization of Biopolymer-based Drug Delivery Systems
• Hydrogels
• Microneedle Technology
• Evaluation of Bioactive Activities of the Biopolymers
• Biopolymers Applications in Biomedical Field

Relevant publications:

Papers:

• Araújo D, Martins M, Freitas F (2023) Exploring the drug loading and release ability of FucoPol hydrogel membranes. International Journal of Molecular Science 24, 14591. DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914591

• Araújo D, Martins M, Concórdio-Reis P, Roma-Rodrigues C, Morais M, Alves VD, Fernandes AR, Freitas F (2023) Novel hydrogel membranes based on the bacterial polysaccharide FucoPol: Design, Characterization and Biological Properties. Pharmaceuticals 16, 91. DOI: 10.3390/ph16070991

• Araújo D, Rodrigues T, Roma-Rodrigues C, Alves VD, Fernandes AF, Freitas F (2023) Chitin-glucan complex hydrogels: physical-chemical characterization, stability, in vitro drug permeation and biological assessment in primary cells. Polymers 15, 791. DOI: 10.3390/polym15040791

• Araújo D, Rodrigues T, Alves VD, Freitas F (2022) “Chitin-Glucan Complex Hydrogels: Optimization of Gel Formation and Demonstration of Drug Loading and Release Ability.” Polymers 14(4), 785. DOI: 10.3390/polym14040785

• Pereira JR, Araújo D, Freitas P, Marques AC, Alves VD, Sevrin C, Grandfils C, Fortunato E, Reis MAM, Freitas F (2021) “Production of medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates by Pseudomonas chlororaphis subsp. aurantiaca: Cultivation on fruit pulp waste and polymer characterization.” International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 167, 85-92. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.11.162

• Ferreira IC, Araújo D, Voisin P, Alves VD, Rosatella AA, Afonso CAM, Freitas F, Neves LA (2020) “Chitin-glucan complex – Based biopolymeric structures using biocompatible ionic liquids.” Carbohydrate Polymers 247, 116679. DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.116679

• Araújo D, Ferreira IC, Torres CA, Neves L, Freitas F (2020) “Chitinous polymers: Extraction from fungal sources, characterization and processing towards value‐added applications.” Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology 95, 1277–1289. DOI: 10.1002/jctb.6325

• Silvestre SL, Araújo D, Marques AC, Pires C, Matos M, Alves VD, Martins R, Freitas F, Reis MAM, Fortunato E (2020) “Microneedle Arrays of Polyhydroxyalkanoate by Laser-Based Micromolding Technique.” ACS Applied Bio Materials Journal 3(9), 5856–5864. DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.0c00570

• Araújo D, Alves VD, Lima SAC, Reis S, Freitas F, Reis MAM (2020) “Novel hydrogels based on yeast chitin-glucan complex: Characterization and safety assessment.” International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 156, 1104-1111. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.11.141

• Kourmentza C, Araújo D, Sevrin C, Roma-Rodrigues C, Ferreira JL, Freitas F, Dionisio M, Baptista PV, Fernandes AR, Grandfils C, Reis, MAM (2019) “Occurrence of non-toxic bioemulsifiers during polyhydroxyalkanoate production by Pseudomonas strains valorizing crude glycerol by-product.” Bioresoure Technology 281, 31-40. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2019.02.066

• Araújo D, Alves VD, Campos J, Coelhoso I, Sevrin C, Grandfils C, Freitas F, Reis MAM (2016) “Assessment of the adhesive properties of the bacterial polysaccharide FucoPol.” International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 92, 383-389. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2016.07.035

Book Chapters:

• Concórdio-Reis, P, Pereira, JR, Esmail, A, Ramos K, Araújo, D, Freitas, F. (2025) Wound healing approaches based on polysaccharide-nanoparticles biocomposites. In Recent advances in nanomedicines mediated wound healing. Prashant Kesharwani Ed. (1st Ed.). Elsevier

• Freitas F, Torres C, Araújo D, Farinha I, Pereira JR, Concórdio-Reis P, Reis MAM “Advanced Microbial Polysaccharides.” in Biopolymers for Biomedical and Biotechnological Applications; Rehm B, Moradali MF, Eds.; Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 2021, pp. 19-62. DOI: 10.1002/9783527818310.ch2

• Araújo D, Freitas F “Microneedles Arrays Based on Natural Polymers" in Encyclopedia of polymer applications Vol 2, 1st ed, Mishra M, Ed; CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group: NW, USA, 2019, pp.1800-1812.