Ana Maria Gomes

Ana Maria Gomes is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Biotechnology of Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP), affiliated with the Centre for Biotechnology and Fine Chemistry (CBQF). She holds a PhD in Biotechnology (1999) and specializes in probiotics, functional foods, and bioactive compounds. Her research focuses on enhancing food systems through innovative processing techniques and valorizing byproducts for health benefits.

• Education: PhD in Biotechnology (1999)
• Affiliations: CBQF, UCP Faculty of Biotechnology
• Key Projects: PeptiBiotics (2023-2024), AWARE (2022-2026), VIIAFOOD (2021-2025)

Research Interests: Probiotics, functional food development, antioxidant mechanisms, and food biotechnology. She explores applications in antimicrobial peptides, alternative proteins, and sustainable food systems through interdisciplinary collaborations.

Recent work includes studies on diatom bioactivity, avocado oil metabolism effects, and high-pressure cheese processing. Awards include the NEWFOOD 2020 prize for food innovation and recognition for obesity-prevention yogurt research.

• Supervised 46 academic works at UCP
• Active in grants: FIND4S (2024-2027), STARGATE (2021-2023)

Labs/Teams: Leads CBQF’s food biotechnology initiatives and collaborates with the VIIAFOOD innovation platform.