Academically, she has a first degree in Aquatic Sciences, a MSC in Food Studies- Post Harvest Technology and a Ph.D. in Biotechnology - Food Science and Engineering. Professionally, she is a Coordinator Professor of the School of Technology and Management (ESTG) of Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo (IPVC) and, since 1990, in different periods, she coordinated the BSc degrees and taught several subject studies within the field of Food Science and Engineering having supervised 42 BSc and MSc students’ final degree projects. She was President of the Direction board of ESTG for 10 years being also elected for other ESTG and IPVC management bodies (Department of Engineering, General, Scientific and Pedagogic Councils, Statutory and General Assemblies). At present she coordinates CISAS-IPVC (Center for Research and Development in Agrifood Systems and Sustainability), the MSC in Food Engineering and supervises 3 PhD students. During her scientific career she participated in 18 International and 22 national R&DT projects and she was evaluator of 17 EU project proposals (ERA and COST). She co/authored more than 100 papers in international and national peer-reviewed issues, and ca. 50 books, book chapters and technical manuals. She was a member of 44 scientific and organizing congresses committees having presented more than 300 communications in national and international congresses, and ca. 50 as invited speaker. She published 50 opinion articles online and in press newspapers. She is a member of the editorial boards of 5 international scientific journals (Guest, Associate, Topic advisory, Advisory Board) and a reviewer of more than 30. Outside academia, she has been member of the Administrative Boards of Portugal Foods agro-industrial cluster, North Coast Action Group, Association of Directors of Engineering Education Institutions, Consortium Campus do Mar and of the National Technical Group within the FP7 Framework Cooperation Work Programme "Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology". At present she is a member of the: Scientific Councils of Portugal Foods, Colab4Food- Collaborative Laboratory in the agrifood sector, Continent- MC Producers Club and Fundación Dieta Atlántica-USC-Spain, Board of Portuguese Association of Applied Algology, National Group of experts of Horizon Europe, CEN Committee EN 17399 - Algae and algae products, International Society of Food Engineering, ISEKI Food Association and Portuguese Society of Chemistry. She is also the IPVC representative in Fórum Oceano- Portugal's Blue Economy Cluster and in the TECMEAT - Agrifood Competence Centre for the Meat sector. Her present areas of interest: Development of new food products; valorisation of poorly exploited food sources, food surplus, waste and loss (from the agrifood industry, marine and inland water and forests) for the development of high-value products.