معرفی
Dr. Catarina Rendeiro is a Lecturer in Nutritional Sciences at the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, where she has been based since 2017. Her research bridges nutritional biochemistry, vascular physiology, and cognitive neuroscience, with a focus on flavonoids and their role in brain and vascular health.
Education:
- M.Sc. and B.Sc. in Biological Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon (2007)
- PhD in Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading, UK (2011)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education, University of Birmingham (2020)
Her research interests center on the molecular mechanisms by which plant-derived compounds—especially flavonoids—and physical activity improve cerebrovascular and peripheral vascular function. She investigates how diet interacts with mental stress and exercise to influence vascular and cognitive outcomes. Her work spans human clinical trials, rodent models, and molecular analysis, contributing to the development of lifestyle strategies for enhancing brain and vascular health across the lifespan.
Her recent publications reflect a strong trend in nutritional neuroscience, particularly examining flavonoids’ effects on cerebral oxygenation, endothelial function, cognitive performance, and stress response. These studies combine human interventions with advanced physiological measurements, often using flavonoid-rich foods like cocoa and citrus. The research consistently emphasizes mechanistic insights, linking dietary intake to measurable physiological and cognitive outcomes.
Scientific Awards:
- Top 10 most downloaded neuroscience papers in Scientific Reports (2020)
- Two Poster Prizes, International Conference on Polyphenols and Health (2019)
- Times Higher Education Award for Research Project of the Year (2010)
- Postgraduate Competition, Nutrition Society Meeting (2011)
- Thought For Food Challenge, Syngenta (2011)
She actively supervises postgraduate students, including five PhD candidates and one MRes student, and welcomes proposals from self-funded and scholarship-holding students. She has contributed to major academic service roles such as organizing the International Conference on Polyphenols and Health (2022), guest editing a special issue in Brain Plasticity, and serving on editorial boards and review panels for journals and funding bodies like the European Space Agency and BBSRC.
She is a member of the Centre for Human Brain Health at the University of Birmingham and co-leads the fNIRS imaging system management sub-committee. She also leads the Seminar Series in her School (2017–2020) and serves on the STEM Ethics Committee.
