Marta Prado

Marta Prado leads the Food Quality and Safety Research Group (FQ&S) at the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), focusing on developing rapid, reliable detection methodologies that integrate molecular biology with nano- and microfabrication technologies. Her work addresses food safety and quality challenges, as well as applications in environmental and clinical diagnostics, through targeted (DNA amplification, aptamer-based detection) and non-targeted (Next Generation Sequencing) approaches.

• PhD in Food Science and Technology from the University of Santiago de Compostela
• Postdoctoral research at the European Commission's Joint Research Center in Belgium
• INL's first postdoctoral researcher, contributing to its foundational development since 2010

The FQ&S group aligns with INL's Foodture Cluster mission to create miniaturized analytical tools for decentralized settings. Since its establishment in 2016, the group has grown exponentially through funded projects and collaborations, emphasizing connectivity for digitalized agro-food value chains. Marta highlights the importance of food safety in low-resource settings and its impact on public health, regional product valuation, and rural sustainability.

Marta advocates for women in science, noting progress in gender parity at early career stages but stressing the need for better representation in leadership roles and equal pay enforcement. She envisions the future of food research focusing on microbiota interactions and nano-enabled analytical methods to advance scientific understanding and product development.