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Ana C. Q. Silva holds a degree in Biochemistry (2015) and a Master’s in Biochemistry - Biomolecular Methods (2017) from the University of Aveiro (UA), Portugal. In May 2024, she completed her PhD in Biochemistry at CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, with a dissertation titled “Development of Cellulose-Based Materials for Dermal Administration of Drugs and Bioactive Compounds”, under the supervision of Dr. Carmen S. R. Freire and co-supervision of Professor Armando J. D. Silvestre and Dr. Carla Vilela. In parallel with her PhD, Ana worked as a Research Fellow in the project FF2F - From Fossil to Forest - Sustainable Packaging and Products to Replace Fossil Plastic (April 2023 - September 2024), supporting the development of cellulose-reinforced thermoplastic materials for sustainable packaging applications. She now works as a First Level Doctorate Researcher in the BioEcoAzul - Blue Bioeconomy Innovation Pact | Biomaterials Vertical, focusing on the development of thermosetting materials based on cork and marine polysaccharides, which aim to add value to these natural resources. Her research interests encompass the development of innovative and sustainable materials derived from natural sources, with potential applications across biomedical and industrial fields.
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Identification

Personal identification

Full name
Ana Cristina Quintans da Silva

Citation names

  • Silva, Ana Cristina Q.
  • Silva, A.C.Q.
  • Silva, Ana C. Q.

Author identifiers

Ciência ID
BB15-2953-57A1
ORCID iD
0000-0002-8015-5904

Email addresses

  • ana.cristina.silva@ua.pt (Professional)

Addresses

  • Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro , Aveiro, Portugal (Professional)

Websites

Knowledge fields

  • Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Biochemistry
  • Medical and Health Sciences - Medical Biotechnology - Biomaterials
  • Engineering and Technology - Materials Engineering - Composites
  • Engineering and Technology - Nano-technology - Nano-materials

Languages

Language Speaking Reading Writing Listening Peer-review
Portuguese (Mother tongue)
English Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2)
French Beginner (A1) Beginner (A1) Beginner (A1) Beginner (A1)
Education
Degree Classification
2018/10/01 - 2024/05/21
Concluded
 PhD in Biochemistry (Doutoramento)
Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
"Development of cellulose-based materials for dermal administration of drugs and bioactive compounds" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 Approved
2015/09 - 2017/07/27
Concluded
 Master in Biochemistry, Specialization in Biomolecular Methods (Mestrado)
Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
"Development of bacterial nanocellulose and fucoidan patches for skin regeneration" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 17
2012/09 - 2015/07
Concluded
 Bachelor in Biochemisty (Licenciatura)
Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
"Evaluation of the Quality of Supermarket Food Products " (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 15
Affiliation

Science

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2024/10 - Current Researcher (Research) Universidade de Aveiro CICECO, Portugal
Universidade de Aveiro CICECO, Portugal

Others

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2023/04 - 2024/09 Research Fellow Universidade de Aveiro CICECO, Portugal
Universidade de Aveiro CICECO, Portugal
Projects

Grant

Designation Funders
2023/04 - 2024/09 FF2F - From Fossil to Forest - Sustainable packaging and products to replace fossil plastic
02-C05-i01.02-2022.PC644920945-00000036
Research Fellow
Universidade de Aveiro CICECO, Portugal
 Governo da República Portuguesa
Ongoing
2018/09 - 2024/02 PhD Grant (SFRH/BD/140230/2018)
SFRH/BD/140230/2018
PhD Student Fellow
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Concluded
2022/11 - 2023/02 PhD grant (Exceptional COVID Grants, COVID/BD/152979/2022)
COVID/BD/152979/2022
PhD Student Fellow
Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Concluded

Contract

Designation Funders
2024/10 - Current BioEcoAzul - Blue Bioeconomy Innovation Pact | Biomaterials Vertical
02-C05-i01.01-2022.PC644915664-00000026
Researcher
Universidade de Aveiro CICECO, Portugal
 Governo da República Portuguesa
Ongoing

Other

Designation Funders
2020 - Current CICECO: UIDB/50011/2020
UIDB/50011/2020 - Base
UIDP/50011/2020 - Programático
Team member
Universidade de Aveiro CICECO, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2022/01/01 - 2024/12/31 Cell4Janus: Engineering self-propelled cellulose-based Janus microrobots
PTDC/BII-BIO/1901/2021
Team member
Universidade de Aveiro CICECO, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
Outputs

Publications

Book chapter
  1. Silva, Ana C. Q. ; Armando J.D. Silvestre; Carmen S. R. Freire; Carla Vilela. "Modification of textiles for functional applications". In Fundamentals of natural fibres and textiles, edited by Md. Ibrahim H. Mondal. 2021.
    Published • 10.1016/B978-0-12-821483-1.00010-3
Conference paper
  1. Carla Vilela; João D. Morais; Silva, Ana C. Q. ; Daniel Muñoz-Gil; Filipe M. L. Figueiredo; Armando J. D. Silvestre; Carmen S. R. Freire. "Ion-conducting membranes of nanocellulose & lignosulfonates for application in fuel cells, ISBN: 978-84-8458-621-0". Girona, 2022.
    Published
Conference poster
  1. Silva, Ana C. Q. ; Armando J. D. Silvestre; Carla Vilela; Carmen S. R. Freire. "Green composites based on thermoplastic polymers, cellulose fibers and biobased additives for food packaging". Paper presented in Jornadas CICECO 2024 - Connecting minds, creating progress, 2024.
  2. Silva, Ana C. Q. ; Armando J. D. Silvestre; Carla Vilela; Carmen S. R. Freire. "Green composites based on thermoplastic polymers, cellulose fibers and biobased additives for food packaging". Paper presented in 6th International EPNOE Junior Scientists Meeting, 2024.
  3. Silva, Ana C. Q. ; Armando J. D. Silvestre; Carla Vilela; Carmen S. R. Freire. "Carboxymethylcellulose and fucoidan microneedles for melanoma treatment". Paper presented in Jornadas CICECO 2023 – Crossing borders, 2023.
  4. Silva, Ana C. Q. ; Armando J.D. Silvestre; Carla Vilela; Carmen S. R. Freire. "Trilayered bacterial nanocellulose patches loaded with acyclovir and hyaluronic acid for dual mode treatment of herpetic lesions". Paper presented in XXVIII Encontro Nacional da SPQ, 2023.
  5. Silva, Ana C. Q. ; Armando J.D. Silvestre; Carla Vilela; Carmen S. R. Freire. "Trilayered bacterial nanocellulose patches loaded with acyclovir and hyaluronic acid for dual mode treatment of herpetic lesions". Paper presented in Ciência 2023 – Science and Technology in Portugal Summit, 2023.
  6. Silva, Ana C. Q. ; Bárbara Pereira; Nicole S. Lameirinhas; Paulo C. Costa; Isabel F. Almeida; Patrícia Dias-Pereira; Inês Correia-Sá; et al. "Carboxymethylcellulose-based dissolvable microneedle patches for rapid painless delivery of diclofenac". Paper presented in 14th International Meeting of the Portuguese Carbohydrate Group – GLUPOR 14, 2023.
  7. Silva, Ana C. Q. ; Armando J. D. Silvestre; Carla Vilela; Carmen S. R. Freire. "Acyclovir-loaded nanocellulose patches for treatment of herpes labialis cutaneous lesions". Paper presented in Jornadas CICECO 2022 – Hand in hand with society, 2022.
  8. Silva, Ana C. Q. ; Bárbara Pereira; Armando J. D. Silvestre; Carla Vilela; Carmen S.R. Freire. "Soluble Carboxymethylcellulose microneedles for rapid pain relief". 2021.
  9. Carla Vilela; João D. Morais; Silva, Ana C. Q. ; Daniel Muñoz-Gil; Filipe M.L. Figueiredo; Armando J.D. Silvestre; Carmen S. R. Freire; Filipe M. L. Figueiredo; Armando J. D. Silvestre. "Biobased ion-conducting separators made of nanocellulose and lignosulfonates for application in polymer electrolyte fuel cells". Paper presented in 4th International EPNOE Junior Scientists Meeting, 2021.
  10. Silva, Ana C. Q. ; Armando J. D. Silvestre; Carla Vilela; Carmen S. R. Freire. "Development of cellulose-based nanomotors with autonomous movement". Paper presented in Jornadas do CICECO, 2020.
Journal article
  1. Ana C.Q. Silva; Maria Mendes; Carla Vitorino; Unai Montejo; Ana Alonso-Varona; Armando J.D. Silvestre; Carla Vilela; Carmen S.R. Freire. "Trilayered nanocellulose-based patches loaded with acyclovir and hyaluronic acid for the treatment of herpetic lesions". International Journal of Biological Macromolecules (2024): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133843.
    10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133843
  2. Ana C. Q. Silva; Bárbara Pereira; Nicole S. Lameirinhas; Paulo C. Costa; Isabel F. Almeida; Patrícia Dias-Pereira; Inês Correia-Sá; et al. "Dissolvable Carboxymethylcellulose Microneedles for Noninvasive and Rapid Administration of Diclofenac Sodium". Macromolecular Bioscience 23 1 (2023): 2200323-2200323. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mabi.202200323.
    10.1002/mabi.202200323
  3. Ana Cristina Silva; Ana C. Q. Silva; Armando J. D. Silvestre; Carla Vilela; Carmen S. R. Freire. "Cellulose and protein nanofibrils: Singular biobased nanostructures for the design of sustainable advanced materials". Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 10 (2022): http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2022.1059097.
    10.3389/fbioe.2022.1059097
  4. Ana C. Q. Silva; Armando J. D. Silvestre; Carla Vilela; Carmen S. R. Freire. "Natural Polymers-Based Materials: A Contribution to a Greener Future". Molecules (2021): https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27010094.
    10.3390/molecules27010094
  5. João P. F. Carvalho; Ana C. Q. Silva; Armando J. D. Silvestre; Carmen S. R. Freire; Carla Vilela. "Spherical Cellulose Micro and Nanoparticles: A Review of Recent Developments and Applications". Nanomaterials 11 10 (2021): 2744-2744. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11102744.
    10.3390/nano11102744
  6. Carla Vilela; João D. Morais; Ana Cristina Q. Silva; Daniel Muñoz-Gil; Filipe M. L. Figueiredo; Armando J. D. Silvestre; Carmen S. R. Freire. "Flexible Nanocellulose/Lignosulfonates Ion-Conducting Separators for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells". Nanomaterials 10 9 (2020): 1713-1713. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10091713.
    10.3390/nano10091713
  7. Carvalho, João; Silva, Ana Cristina Q.; Bastos, Verónica; Oliveira, Helena; Pinto, Ricardo J.B.; SILVESTRE, ARMANDO; Vilela, Carla; Freire, Carmen S.R.. "Nanocellulose-Based Patches Loaded with Hyaluronic Acid and Diclofenac towards Aphthous Stomatitis Treatment". Nanomaterials (2020): https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/10/4/628.
    10.3390/nano10040628
  8. Vilela, Carla; Silva, Ana C.Q.; Domingues, Eddy M.; Gonçalves, Gil; Martins, Manuel A.; Figueiredo, Filipe M.L.; Santos, Sónia A.O.; Freire, Carmen S.R.. "Conductive polysaccharides-based proton-exchange membranes for fuel cell applications: The case of bacterial cellulose and fucoidan". Carbohydrate Polymers 230 (2020): 115604. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.115604.
    10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.115604
  9. Silva, Ana Cristina Q.; Vilela, Carla; Santos, Hélder A.; Silvestre, Armando J.D.; Freire, Carmen S.R.. "Recent trends on the development of systems for cancer diagnosis and treatment by microfluidic technology". Applied Materials Today (2020): 100450. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apmt.2019.100450.
    10.1016/j.apmt.2019.100450
Thesis / Dissertation
  1. "Development of cellulose-based materials for dermal administration of drugs and bioactive compounds". PhD, Universidade de Aveiro, 2024. http://hdl.handle.net/10773/42031.
  2. Silva, Ana. "Development of bacterial nanocellulose and fucoidan patches for skin regeneration". Master, Universidade de Aveiro, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10773/22389.
Activities

Oral presentation

Presentation title Event name
Host (Event location)
2024/07/18 Cellulose-based material for biomedical applications Academia de Verão
University of Aveiro (Aveiro, Portugal)
2024/05/24 Carboxymethylcellulose-fucoidan microneedle patches for melanoma treatment (PITCH) VII iBiMED Symposium: Sharing Science, Inspiring Progress
University of Aveiro (Aveiro, Portugal)
2024/04/12 Cellulose-based materials for application on the biomedical field Presentation to the high school students of Agrupamento de Escolas de Esgueira
Agrupamento de Escolas de Esgueira (Esgueira, Portugal)
2024/03/20 Cellulose-based materials for (trans)dermal drug delivery and wound healing - Academic journey of a former student of the Agrupamento de Escolas de Anadia High School student visit (Agrupamento de Escolas de Anadia) to the Chemistry Department
University of Aveiro (Aveiro, Portugal)
2023/07 Three-layered nanocellulose patches with acyclovir and hyaluronic acid for the treatment of herpes labialis (PITCH) Research Summit 2023
University of Aveiro (Aveiro, Portugal)
2023/01 Carboxymethylcellulose-based dissolvable microneedle patches for rapid painless delivery of diclofenac (PITCH) 14th International Meeting of the Portuguese Carbohydrate Group – GLUPOR 14
Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, NOVA School of Science and Technology (UCIBIO, FCT-NOVA) (Caparica, Portugal)
2022/09/09 Dissolvable carboxymethylcellulose microneedles for administration of diclofenac envisaging rapid pain relief 5th International EPNOE Junior Scientist Meeting
European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence (EPNOE) (Aveiro, Portugal)
2022/07 Dissolvable Carboxymethylcellulose microneedles for rapid and non-invasive drug delivery (PITCH) Research Summit 2022
University of Aveiro (Aveiro, Portugal)
2022/06 Ion-conducting membranes of nanocellulose & lignosulfonates for application in fuel cells XII Iberoamerican Congress on Pulp and Paper Research (CIADICYP)
University of Girona (Girona, Spain)
2021/07 Development of cellulose-based motors for biomedical applications (PITCH) Research Summit 2021
University of Aveiro (Aveiro, Portugal)
2020/06/25 Development of micromotors based on cellulose via microfluidics for biomedical applications (PITCH) Research Summit 2020
University of Aveiro (Aveiro, Portugal)
2019/11/29 Building a Greener Future: Exploring Sustainable Materials Escola Ciência Viva
Rómulo – Centro Ciência Viva of the University of Coimbra (Coimbra, Portugal)
2019/10/25 Fully-biobased conductive membranes composed of nanocellulose and fucoidan EPNOE - 6th International Polysaccharides Conference
European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence (EPNOE) (Aveiro, Portugal)

Event organisation

Event name
Type of event (Role) 		Institution / Organization
2022/09/08 - 2022/09/09 Member of the local organizing committee of the 5th International EPNOE Junior Scientist Meeting, at Aveiro, Portugal (2022/09/08 - 2022/09/09)
Conference (Other)
 Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
2017/05/08 - 2017/05/10 Voluntary in the organization of PmatE, National Science Competition (2017) (2017/05/08 - 2017/05/10)
Other
 Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
2014/04/25 - 2014/04/27 Voluntary in the organization of PmatE, National Science Competition (2014) (2014/04/25 - 2014/04/27) Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal

Event participation

Activity description
Type of event 		Event name
Institution / Organization
2023/09 - 2023/11 Writing in the Sciences, course coordinated by Kristin Sainani, PhD (Stanford University) and offered through Coursera - completed with Honors
Other
 Writing in the Sciences
Coursera Inc, United States

Stanford University, United States
2023/04/19 - 2023/04/19 XIV Biochemistry Day | The Sex of Biochemistry - The Biochemistry of Sexual Dimorphism, coordinated by the Chemistry Department of the University of Aveiro
Symposium
 XIV Biochemistry Day
Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
2022/10 - 2022/12 Circular Economy – Sustainable Materials Management, course coordinated by Lund University, EIT RawMaterials, VITO, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, National Technical University of Athens, Ghent University e Delft University of Technology, and offered through Coursera
Other
 Circular Economy – Sustainable Materials Management
Coursera Inc, United States

Lund University Center for Innovation Research and Competence in the Learning Economy, Sweden

EIT RawMaterials GmbH, Germany

VITO NV, Belgium

De Nationale Geologiske Undersøgelser for Danmark og Grønland, Denmark

National Technical University of Athens Ship Design Lab, Greece

Universiteit Gent, Belgium

Technische Universiteit Delft, Netherlands
2022/11/24 - 2022/11/24 Advanced Polymer Materials from Natural Resources, webinar coordinated by Polymers, MDPI
Seminar
 Advanced Polymer Materials from Natural Resources
MDPI AG, Switzerland
2022/09/15 - 2022/09/15 Advances in Polysaccharide Materials, webinar coordinated by Molecules, MDPI
Seminar
 Advances in Polysaccharide Materials
MDPI AG, Switzerland
2022/05/04 - 2022/05/04 XIII Biochemistry Day | The Biochemistry of Mood, coordinated by the Chemistry Department of the University of Aveiro
Symposium
 XIII Biochemistry Day |
Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
2021/10/04 - 2021/12/13 Interdisciplinary Training Program coordinated by Dr. Nicholas Peppas and Dr. Helena Florindo | The The 14-hour program covered a wide range of topics in the biomedical micro- and nanotechnology field, including biomaterials, diagnostic devices & sensors, and therapeutic devices, amongst others.
Other
 Interdisciplinary Training Programme on Principles, Applications and Nanotechnology Innovation in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biological Engineering and Medicine
The University of Texas at Austin, United States

Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
2021/04/14 - 2021/04/14 XII Biochemistry Day | The biochemistry of SARS-COV-2
Symposium
 XII Biochemistry Day
Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
2019/03/20 - 2019/03/20 8th Workshop in Lipidomics, coordinated by the Aveiro University Mass Spectrometry Centre
Workshop
 8th Workshop in Lipidomics
Universidade de Aveiro Centro de Espectrometria de Massa, Portugal
2017/04/26 - 2017/04/26 IX Biochemistry Day, coordinated by the Chemistry Department of the University of Aveiro
Symposium
 IX Biochemistry Day
Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
2017/03/19 - 2017/03/19 Journeys of the Chemistry Department (Jornadas DQ/UA), coordinated by the Chemistry Department of the University of Aveiro
Symposium
 Jornadas do Departamento de Química
Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
2015/04/29 - 2015/04/29 VII Biochemistry Day, organized by the Department of Chemistry, UA
Symposium
 VII Biochemistry Day
Universidade de Aveiro Departamento de Química, Portugal
2015/03/27 - 2015/03/29 III National Meeting of Chemistry Students (ENEQUI), organized by the Portuguese Chemistry Students Association(ANEQ)
Meeting
 III Encontro Nacional de Química (III ENEQUI)
Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
2014/03/19 - 2014/03/19 2nd Workshop of Immunology, coordinated by the Chemistry Department of the University of Aveiro
Workshop
 2nd Workshop of Immunology
Universidade de Aveiro Departamento de Química, Portugal

Ad Hoc journal article review

Journal title (ISSN) Publisher
2024 - Current Polymers (2073-4360) MDPI
2024 - Current International Journal of Molecular Sciences ( 1422-0067) MDPI

Evaluation committee

Activity description
Role 		Institution / Organization Funding entity
2019 - 2023 Evaluation of posters and metabolic maps at Biochemistry Day
Evaluator
 Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal

Mentoring / Tutoring

Topic Student name
2022/05 - 2022/07 Fabrication of the microneedle patches based on polysaccharides, , PhD student from the Tomas Bata University in Zlín (Chechk Republic) Simona Kácerová
2022/05 - 2022/07 New therapeutic microneedle systems for the non-invasive delivery of drugs, BSc student (Graduation in Biotechnology) João M. S. Oliveira
2022/05 - 2022/07 New therapeutic microneedle systems for the non-invasive delivery of drugs, BSc student (Graduation in Biochemistry) Vanessa M. P. Araújo
2021/11 - 2022/01 Preparation and characterization of microneedles containing antioxidant mango leaves nanoparticles, PhD student from the University of Cadiz (Spain) Diego V. López
2021/04 - 2021/07 New therapeutic microneedle systems for the non-invasive delivery of drugs, BSc student (Graduation in Biochemistry) Beatriz Coelho
2020/01 - 2020/07 Multifunctional cellulose nanoparticles for application in diagnosis and cancer therapy, MSc student (Master in Biomedical Materials and Devices) João M. S. P. Leite
2019/01 - 2019/07 Biomembranes based on bacterial nanocellulose for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, MSc student (Master in Chemical Engineering) João D. Morais
Distinctions

Award

2023 BEST POSTER PRESENTATION AWARD on the poster communication "Carboxymethylcellulose-based dissolvable microneedle patches for rapid painless delivery of diclofenac", at the 14th International Meeting of the Portuguese Carbohydrate Group – GLUPOR 14
2021 BEST POSTER PRESENTATION AWARD to the poster communication "Cellulose nanobeads functionalized with gold nanoparticles for biomedical imaging applications", at the 4th International EPNOE Junior Scientist Meeting
2021 BEST ORAL PRESENTATION AWARD to the oral communication "Bacterial nanocellulose-based patches loaded with hyaluronic acid and diclofenac for the treatment of oral aphthous ulcers", at the 4th International EPNOE Junior Scientists Meeting

Other distinction

2010 Honorable mention in "Prémio Doutor Rodrigues Lapa"
Câmara Municipal de Anadia , Portugal