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Currently I'm a PhD Student at ITQB-NOVA and an EU Bioeconomy Youth Ambassador. I hold a bachelor's degree in Biology at the University of the Azores and a master's degree in Biotechnology for Sustainability at ITQB-NOVA. Since my bachelor's degree I became interested in Biotechnology and that motivated me to pursue my studies in that area of expertise. During my master studies I have shifted from my bio-based studies to the field of biopolymers/materials. I have participated in an european research project "FLIPT" (Feb-Dec 2019) and I worked in a regional project "PinnusResina" fingerprinting resin acids diversity in resins from national pine forests (Jan 2020- Dez 2021) . I was awarded in February 2020 with the 3rd place for the best shotgun talk (JORTEC 2020- FCT NOVA). Later I was granted with an FCT PhD Research Scholarship in 2021 and started to develop my PhD in Molecular Biosciences in ITQB-NOVA in Jan- 2022. Afterwards in June I was selected as a Bioeconomy Youth Ambassador by the European Commission and I will perform this role until June 2024. The main mission of the ambassadors is to raise awareness about bioeconomy in our communities.
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Identification

Personal identification

Full name
Rita José Quintal Escórcio

Citation names

  • Escórcio, Rita

Author identifiers

Ciência ID
B319-8CB6-057C
ORCID iD
0000-0003-3473-3686

Email addresses

  • escorcio@itqb.unl.pt (Professional)

Knowledge fields

  • Engineering and Technology - Industrial Biotechnology - Bioproducts Biomaterials
  • Engineering and Technology - Industrial Biotechnology - Bioplastics
  • Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Biology

Languages

Language Speaking Reading Writing Listening Peer-review
English Advanced (C1) Advanced (C1) Advanced (C1) Advanced (C1) Advanced (C1)
Portuguese (Mother tongue)
Education
Degree Classification
2022/01 - 2026
Ongoing
 Biociências Moleculares (Doutoramento)
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
2017 - 2019
Concluded
 Biotecnologia para a Sustentabilidade (Mestrado)
Major in Biotecnologia
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
"In the search of novel bioplastics: Exploiting bio & chemical tools to fine tune the physicochemical properties of plant polyesters" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 18
2014 - 2017
Concluded
 Biologia (Licenciatura)
Major in Biotecnologia
Universidade dos Açores, Portugal
 14
Affiliation

Science

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2019/02 - 2021/12 Researcher (Research) Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
Projects

Grant

Designation Funders
2020/01/01 - 2021/12/31 PinusResina Project
PDR2020-101-031905
Research Fellow
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
 Programa de Desenvolvimento Rural 2020
Ongoing
2019/02/01 - 2019/12/31 FLIPT: Flow Induced Phase Transitions, a new low energy paradigm for polymer processing.
713475
Research Fellow
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
 EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Euratom
Concluded

Contract

Designation Funders
2022/11 - Current AgriLoop: Pushing the frontier of circular agriculture by converting residues into novel economic, social and environmental opportunities
101081776
Researcher
Horizon 2020
Ongoing
Outputs

Publications

Conference paper
  1. Pinheiro, Ângela; Varela, Adélia; Piontkivska, Daryna; Escórcio, Rita; Bento, Artur; Martins, Isabel; Domingos, Patrícia; Carlos A. M. Afonso; SILVA PEREIRA, CRISTINA. Corresponding author: Piontkivska, Daryna. "Characterization of Resin associated Mycobiota". Paper presented in IUBMB-FEBS-PABMB, Lisboa, 2022.
    Published
Conference poster
  1. Escórcio, Rita; Artur João Gonçalves Bento (A218-8C74-092D); Ana S. Tomé; Correia, Vanessa G.; Rúben Rodrigues; Carlos JS Moreira; Didier Marion; Bénédicte Bakan; Cristina Silva Pereira. "Finding a Needle in a Haystack: Producing Antimicrobial Cutin-Derived Oligomers from Tomato Pomace". Paper presented in ITQB-NOVA 13th PhD meeting, 2023.
  2. Escórcio, Rita; Belo, Joana; 031A-1146-2A2A; Pereira, Vanessa; Valente, Carina. "Assessing Single-Use Plastic Consumption in a Multidisciplinary Research Institute for a More Sustainable Science". Paper presented in Green Labs Portugal Symposium: Promoting sustainability in Research, 2023.
  3. Ângela Maria de Marques Lopes e Ferreira Pinheiro (A91F-3066-E595); Adélia Maria Rocha Gomes Varela (D11D-E62A-4040); Escórcio, Rita; Artur João Gonçalves Bento (A218-8C74-092D); Carlos Alberto Mateus Afonso (6319-2E4C-5BE1); CRISTINA SILVA PEREIRA (7C19-C24E-CED4). "Biotransformation of Resin Acids Diterpenoids by Environmental Filamentous Fungi". Paper presented in ITQB-NOVA 11th Phd Students Meeting, 2021.
Journal article
  1. Carlos J S Moreira; Rita Escórcio; Artur Bento; Marta Bjornson; Laura Herold; Ana S Tomé; Celso Martins; et al. "Cutin-derived oligomers induce hallmark plant immune responses". Journal of Experimental Botany (2024): https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erae254.
    10.1093/jxb/erae254
  2. Pinheiro, Ângela; Martins, Isabel; Bento, Artur; Escórcio, Rita; Nunes, Carolina; Varela, Adélia; Nunes, João; Afonso, Carlos A.M.; Silva Pereira, Cristina. "Rosin from Pinus pinaster Portuguese forests shows a regular profile of resin acids". Frontiers in Plant Science 14 (2023): http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1268887.
    Published • 10.3389/fpls.2023.1268887
  3. Escórcio, Rita; Sandhu, Armaan K.; Bento, Artur; Tomé, Ana S.; Moreira, Carlos J. S.; Brözel, Volker S.; Silva Pereira, Cristina. "Purification of archetypal soybean root suberin mostly comprising alka(e)noic acids using an ionic liquid catalyst". Frontiers in Chemistry 11 (2023): http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2023.1165234.
    10.3389/fchem.2023.1165234
  4. Bento, Artur; Escórcio, Rita; Tomé, Ana S.; Robertson, Michael; Gaugler, Evamaria C.; Malthus, Stuart J.; Raymond, Laura G.; Hill, Stefan J.; Silva Pereira, Cristina. "Pinus radiata bark sequentially processed using scCO2 and an ionic liquid catalyst yields plentiful resin acids and alkanoic acids enriched suberin". Industrial Crops and Products 185 (2022): 115172. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2022.115172.
    10.1016/j.indcrop.2022.115172
  5. Rita Escórcio; Artur Bento; Ana S. Tomé; Vanessa G. Correia; Rúben Rodrigues; Carlos J. S. Moreira; Didier Marion; Bénédicte Bakan; Cristina Silva Pereira. "Finding a Needle in a Haystack: Producing Antimicrobial Cutin-Derived Oligomers from Tomato Pomace". ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (2022): https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.2c03437.
    10.1021/acssuschemeng.2c03437
  6. Artur Bento; Carlos J. S. Moreira; Vanessa G. Correia; Rita Escórcio; Rúben Rodrigues; Ana S. Tomé; Nathalie Geneix; et al. "Quantification of Structure–Property Relationships for Plant Polyesters Reveals Suberin and Cutin Idiosyncrasies". ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (2021): https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.1c04733.
    10.1021/acssuschemeng.1c04733
  7. Mathilde Marc; Regis Risani; Eric Desnoes; Xavier Falourd; Bruno Pontoire; Rúben Rodrigues; Rita Escórcio; et al. "Bioinspired co-polyesters of hydroxy-fatty acids extracted from tomato peel agro-wastes and glycerol with tunable mechanical, thermal and barrier properties". Industrial Crops and Products 170 (2021): 113718-113718. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2021.113718.
    Open access • 10.1016/j.indcrop.2021.113718
  8. Carlos J.S. Moreira; Artur Bento; Joana Pais; Johann Petit; Rita Escórcio; Vanessa G. Correia; Ângela Pinheiro; et al. "An Ionic Liquid Extraction That Preserves the Molecular Structure of Cutin Shown by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance". Plant Physiology (2020): pp.01049.2020-pp.01049.2020. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.20.01049.
    Open access • 10.1101/2020.06.01.127837
Online resource
  1. Robin Bartmann; Stefano Bertacchi; Mateo Bifone; Hailey Ciantar; Daragh Cogley; Ugne Dirdaite; Escórcio, Rita; et al. Bioeconomy Youth Vision. 2024. https://youth.europa.eu/d8/sites/default/files/inline-files/Bioeconomy%20youth%20vision_0.pdf.

Artistic / Performance

Visual artwork
  1. Escórcio, Rita; Bento, Artur; Ana S. Tomé; Correia, Vanessa G.; Rodrigues, Rúben; Moreira, Carlos J. S.. Cover of ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering journal (2022, Vol 10, Issue 34)..
  2. Escórcio, Rita; Bento, Artur; Correia, Vanessa G.. Front Cover page of ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (2022, Vol 10, Issue 34)..
    https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.2c03437

Intellectual property

Provisional application for patent
  1. 2023. "Cutin oligomer act as damage-associated patterns eliciting plant immunity".
    Protected
Activities

Oral presentation

Presentation title Event name
Host (Event location)
2024/03/21 Tomato Tales: A research expedition into Bioeconomy and Biomaterials Our Future is in Young Scientists - American Corner
University of the Azores (Ponta delgada, Portugal)
2023/05 O que é que uma bactéria diz a um tomate? Cientista vai à escola
Secundária Padre Alberto Neto (Queluz, Portugal)
2023/02/21 The role of youth in bioeconomy education GenB Common Ground Camp
(Atenas, Greece)
2022/10/06 Youth engagement in the bioeconomy: preparing the next generation through education and skills EU Bioeconomy Conference 2022
European Commission (Belgium)
2020/02/03 Valorização de resíduos da indústria de tomate: Extração e preservação da estrutura molecular da cutina usando líquidos iónicos JORTEC 2020
Applied Chemistry Nucleus (Almada, Portugal)

Event organisation

Event name
Type of event (Role) 		Institution / Organization
2024/03/11 - 2024/03/11 EU Bioeconomy Changemakers Festival Satellite event, Lisbon (2024/03/11 - 2024/03/11)
Workshop (Co-organisor)
 Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
2023/10/18 - 2023/10/20 ITQB-NOVA's 13th PHD meeting (2023/10/18 - 2023/10/20)
Conference (Member of the Organising Committee)
 Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
2017/06/01 - 2017/06/01 5th Biology Conference entitled “Inovating and Discovering in Azores” at Universidade dos Açores (UAç), Azores – Portugal (2017/06/01 - 2017/06/01)
Conference (Member of the Organising Committee)
 Universidade dos Açores Departamento de Biologia, Portugal
2016/05/20 - 2016/05/20 4th Biology Conference entitled “Investigate Biology” at Universidade dos Açores (UAç), Azores – Portugal (2016/05/20 - 2016/05/20)
Conference (Member of the Organising Committee)
 Universidade dos Açores Departamento de Biologia, Portugal

Event participation

Activity description
Type of event 		Event name
Institution / Organization
2024/05/22 - Current Speaker in CBE JU Info day in Portugal hosted by AVIPE, Palmela, Setubal, May 2024.
Other
 CBE JU Info day Portugal
Agência Nacional de Inovação SA, Portugal
2024/03/13 - 2024/03/14 Keynote Speaker in the session "THE VOICE OF YOUTH IN BIOECONOMY: Bioeconomy Youth Vision & Youth Assembly"
Conference
 Bioeconomy Changemakers Festival
European Commission, Belgium
2024/01/31 - 2024/01/31 Speaker in the Bioeconomy Changemakers Festival Preparatory Workshop
Workshop
 Bioeconomy Changemaker Festival Preparatory Workshop
Joint Programming Initiative A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life, Netherlands
2023/12/04 - 2023/12/05 Participation in the EU FOOD 2030 conference as an EU Bioeconomy Youth Ambassador
Conference
 FOOD 2030
European Commission, Belgium
2023/07/26 - 2023/07/26 Production of Antimicrobial Cutin-Derived Oligomers from Tomato Pomace
Seminar
 5th International Summer School on Circular Bio-economy and Sustainable Development
American Farm School, Greece
2023/06 - 2023/07 Participation in the European Bioeconomy Scientific Forum 2023 as a EU Bioeconomy Youth Ambassador. I did a closing speech at the Forum Dinner.
Conference
 European Bioeconomy Scientific Forum 2023
Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, Austria
2023/05 - 2023/05 Participation in the round table in the Portuguese CBE JU information day
Round table
 Portuguese CBE JU information day
Agência Nacional de Inovação SA, Portugal
2022/10/06 - 2022/10/07 Participation as an EU bioeconomy Youth Ambassador in the EU Bioeconomy Conference 2022
Conference
 EU Bioeconomy Conference 2022
European Commission, Belgium
2018/09/17 - 2018/09/17 International Microorganism Day, representing ITQB NOVA and Cristina Silva Pereira’s Lab (AEM) presenting filamentous fungi and bacteria in daily life objects.
Exhibition
 International Microorganism Day 2018
Ciência Viva, Portugal
2018/07/02 - 2018/07/04 Science 2018 – Lisbon, meeting of Portuguese researchers. This event focused in the debate on the design of the future 9th European Research and Innovation Framework Program, 2021-2028.
Conference
 Science 2018
Governo da República Portuguesa Ministério da Ciência Tecnologia e Ensino Superior, Portugal

Committee member

Activity description
Role 		Institution / Organization
2023/05 - 2025/06 Member of the advisory board of the Horizon project GenB aiming to inform and educate young people on more sustainable behaviours and choices to build a future generation informed and interested in bioeconomy. ID: 101060501
Member
 Agenzia per la Promozione della Ricerca Europea, Italy
2023/03 - 2024/10 Member of the advisory board of the Horizon project BioBEO aiming to introduce new thinking and approaches in education on the circular economy. ID: 101059900
Member
 University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Ireland

Interview (newspaper / magazine)

Activity description Newspaper / Forum
2024/03/31 Interview about my research and Bioeconomy Correio dos Açores
2022/10/14 Investigadores portugueses confirmam que pele de tomate elimina bactérias resistentes Expresso

Interview (tv / radio show)

Program Topic
2024/03/22 - Current News RTP Açores Bioeconomia - O potencial do tomate
2022/11 - 2022/11 Portugal em Direto (at minute 5:46) "Potencial antibacteriano da pele do tomate"
2020/07/03 - 2020/07/03 Primeiro Jornal - SIC Dia internacional sem sacos de plástico

Mentoring / Tutoring

Topic Student name
2024/03/01 - 2024/05/07 Cutin Polyester Natasha Bizzotto
2023/01 - 2023/04 Antimicrobial Activity of Italian Alimurgic Plant species Stefania Monari
Distinctions

Award

2023 2nd place for the best poster at the 13th PhD meeting
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
2020 3rd place for the best shotgun talk - JORTEC 2020
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal

Other distinction

2023 Copper Merit Municipal Grade
Câmara Municipal de Santa Cruz, Portugal
2022 FCT funded PhD Research Scholarship
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal