Sara A. Cunha

Sara A. Cunha is a Researcher at the Centre for Biotechnology and Fine Chemistry (CBQF) within the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP). She is affiliated with the Escola Superior Biotecnologia (ESB-UCP) and focuses on biotechnology research, particularly in marine bioactives. Her PhD project studies bioactive peptides from marine sources like algae and mussels for anti-aging and anti-inflammatory cosmetic ingredients. She holds a bachelor’s in biochemistry and a master’s in health biochemistry from the Polytechnic Institute of Porto. She has contributed to projects such as B4Brain (neurodegenerative disease research) and ValorMar (marine resource valorization).

Research Interests:

• Marine Biotechnology
• Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Algae and Mussels
• Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Bioactives
• Food and Environmental Microbiology
• Molecular Biology Applications

Awards:

• 1st Place on Pitch Presentation (2023)
• 2nd Place in BFK Ideas Competition (2021)
• Finalist of Blue Bio Value Ideation (2022)
• CBQF Productivity Incentive (2021-2023)

Activities: Invited assistant in chemistry courses at Escola Superior de Saúde do Politécnico do Porto. Active in international conferences and project pitches, focusing on marine-derived bioactives and sustainable technologies.