Paula ML Castro

Paula ML Castro is a Full Professor at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, affiliated with the Escola Superior de Biotecnologia (ESB-UCP) and the Centre for Biotechnology and Fine Chemistry (CBQF). She has been a member of ESB-UCP's Direction Board since 2013. Her research focuses on environmental biotechnology, bioprocess development for pollution control, and sustainable practices, including wastewater treatment, phytoremediation, and nature-based solutions like constructed wetlands.

Education: PhD in Biochemical Engineering from University College London (1994), Food Engineering degree from ESB-UCP (1989). Professional Experience: Postdoctoral work in UK biotechnology, followed by a 30+ year academic career at ESB-UCP.

Research Interests: Degradation of organic pollutants (e.g., fluorinated compounds), aerobic granular sludge systems, bio-based product development, microbial-plant synergies for soil recovery, and green infrastructure for water management. Her work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals related to clean water, sustainable agriculture, and climate action.

Recent Projects (2022–2027): Include innovative solutions for sustainable farming, wastewater treatment, and bioeconomy development. Notable activities include supervising 26 PhD students (20 concluded, 6 ongoing) and securing grants for projects like Sun2Fork and BioShoes4All.

Awards: Recognized for contributions to microbiology and biotechnology, including best presentation/poster awards and innovation grants. Her research has produced over 650 publications and 11,791 Scopus citations (h-index 60).