Marlene Barros

Marlene Barros is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Dental Medicine (FMD), Portuguese Catholic University (UCP), where she also serves as Director since 2020. She is the Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Health (CIIS), recognized as 'Very Good' by FCT, and leads the SalivaTec laboratory focused on saliva-based diagnostics. She has a strong academic background in biochemistry and biology, with leadership roles in education and research.

Her educational qualifications include:

• PhD in Biochemistry (specialty: Enzymology and Protein Chemistry), University of Coimbra (1995)
• Agregação in Biology, University of Aveiro (2007)

Marlene Barros' research is centered on protein chemistry and molecular mechanisms of disease, with a focus on identifying biomarkers for diagnosis and therapeutic targeting. Her work spans proteomics, bioinformatics, oral biology, and microbiome analysis. She has coordinated academic programs such as the Master in Molecular Microbiology and the Degree in Biomedical Sciences.

Her recent research articles reflect a strong trend in salivary proteomics, oral microbiome interactions, human-viral interactomics, and the development of bioinformatics databases (e.g., OralOme, OvisOme, CanisOme). These works emphasize translational applications in precision medicine, diagnostics, and functional food science.

She has received the following scientific award:

• Prémio Melhor Poster SciComPT 2019

She has supervised numerous academic projects and is actively involved in national and international research collaborations. She has led or participated in significant funded projects such as SPRINT, OralTherm, RedSup4Health, and OeHMP, supported by Portugal2020 and Fundación 'la Caixa'. Her work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in health and education.

She is a key member of the SalivaTec laboratory and contributes to interdisciplinary teams in projects involving digital health, oral microbiome, and functional foods. Her leadership extends to pedagogical innovation and community-based learning in dental education.