Fábio, Sara, Iana and Margarida are the four new colleagues that joined the team in February 2019. They all know quite well the lab since they have been part of the team before as master or PhD students. We are very happy to welcome them again and looking forward to this new professional challenge together.

We hope to have many news about their achievements in the near future but meantime we also want to share their plans in the new positions and to know more about who they are.

Ana Margarida Dias - Post-Doctoral Investigator

1. What is your main goal during your stay at Biomolecular Engineering Lab?

I am part of the team SEAtoSEE and I will be responsible for the design and production of new proteinbased materials for detection of volatiles from fish spoilage. I am really passionate to do research in protein engineering for different applications, therefore I aim to apply my knowledge and experience developed both in Academia and Industry to novel projects in Biomolecular Engineering Lab!

2. Apart from the work/research, tell us something about yourself?

hobbies - hiking
pets - small dog
favourite movies or books - "The end of Mr. Y" from Scarlett Thomas, an interesting book between sci-fi and fantasy genre. It takes PhD research to exciting and unexplored territories! For example, it introduces the question: Can we play memories like in a video game?
what would be a perfect day to you - a hiking day in beautiful scenery, or a sightseeing day to explore a new city!

Fábio Leite - Research assistant

1. What is your main goal during your stay at Biomolecular Engineering Lab?

I want to put my mind in a noble project that aims to improve the society we live in by creating novel techniques that will solve the problems we are struggling with, give everything I know to this project and learn a lot more.

2. Apart from the work/research, tell us something about yourself?

My favourite movie is Dead Poets Society and favourite book would have to be "Ensaio Sobre a Cegueira", José Saramago and "The Hobbit", Tolkien. Some of my hobbies for when I want to relax are going to the movies or play Dungeons and Dragons with friends. I also like to engage myself in volunteering projects to improve the community I am part of. In after work hours I also tutor math and chemistry to 8th and 10th graders.

Iana Lychko - Research assistant

1. What is your main goal during your stay at Biomolecular Engineering Lab?

My main goals in the lab are to design, express and characterize proteins and also to develop protein-based biomaterials to produce biosensors for fish spoilage control.

2. Apart from the work/research, tell us something about yourself?

In my free time I like to read thriller novels and to practice sports, mainly running.

Sara Carvalho - Research assistant

1. What is your main goal during your stay at Biomolecular Engineering Lab?

My main goal in the lab is to contribute to SCENT projects success and contributing to the multidisciplinary and colaborative working environment that we have.

2. Apart from the work/research, tell us something about yourself?

I love dogs and have 4 small female dogs. My favorite hobbies include travel, reading, culinary and make-up. When I was a toddler my chemistry teacher said that working in the kitchen was very similar to lab work so I started to cook a lot and eventually got good at it. I am also intersted in science communication, mainly in explaining simple scientific concepts to the general public (like vaccination, GMOs, etc.).