Short Courses

Deparment of Biology, University of Aveiro, Portugal

Paulo Cardoso da Silveira has a PhD in Biology (Ecology), by the University of Coimbra, concluded in 2001, with a thesis about the diversity and phytogeography of the vascular plant flora of the Serra do Açor (Portugal), reporting 781 taxa, 54% new for the study area, one new species for science, among other novelties. He is, since 2008, assistant professor at the Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, where he has lectured curricular units like Plant Biotechnology, Development Biology, Flora and Vegetation of Portugal, Field Biology and Management and Conservation of Wild Resources, and supervised 26 final Research/Internships, 23 master dissertations, seven PhD thesis and two postdoctoral research internships, one of them concerning the phytochemical study of the genus Calendula L. (Asteraceae) in the Iberian Peninsula. As a member of CESAM, he has conducted research in plant systematics, plant ecology and phytochemistry with work done in the flora of Portugal, Spain, North of Africa and some tropical countries like Angola, Mozambique and Timor-Leste. Plant and natural habitats’ identification and diversity studies have been the main focus of research and participation in 25 projects and nine service contracts, as PI or team member.

Department of Microbiology, National Institute of TB & RD Sri Aurobindo Marg, 2Deshbandhu College, New Delhi, India

Dr Ajoy Kumar Verma, MBBS, MD, PhD, Quality Manger under NABL, working as Senior Specialist Department of Microbiology,National Institute of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Disease, New Delhi, India. Dr Ajoy is actively involved in various modalities of tuberculosis diagnosis used for identification of mycobacterium and susceptibility testing of the specimen collected from the patients’ care referral center and samples coming from all over New Delhi and other states of India under the National TB Control Program. Dr Ajoy is responsible for conducting on site evaluation of laboratories and to provide technical support in activities under the External Quality Assessment (EQA) for sputum smear microscopy, mycobacterial culture and drug susceptibility testing. Also, he facilitates the training program for scaling up of newer diagnostic techniques, i.e., MGIT -960, Line Probe Assay, GeneXpert for MDR-TB diagnosis under the program.

Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Portugal

Helena Silva is a Professor of Botany at the Department of Biology of University of Aveiro, Director of the Master's Degree in Applied Ecology at the same University and Investigator of CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies). During more than 30 years she developed research on biodiversity and ecology of plants with experience on Portuguese, African and Asian flora and vegetation. During this period she published several dozen WoS papers, books/chapter books on these subjects as well as supervised several dozen Master's and PhD students in the same area.

IBIMED, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Aveiro, Portugal

Miguel Pais-Vieira (MPV) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Sciences at the University of Aveiro. He specializes in translational neuroscience with a focus on brain-machine interfaces (BMIs), integrating neurobiology with neuroengineering to develop cost-effective solutions for neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions. Over the past 20 years, MPV has conducted neurobehavioral and electrophysiological experiments on various subjects, including rodents, primates, and humans. His work on rodent and primate BMIs was developed during his postdoctoral research at Duke University's Nicolelis Laboratory from 2009 to 2015, and he has continued to advance human applications from 2015 onwards.

MPV holds a PhD in Human Biology (Neurosciences) from the University of Porto, an MSc in Philosophy (Cognitive Sciences), and a BSc in Nursing. He has held various teaching and research positions and has contributed to the field through several peer-reviewed manuscripts, book chapters, and books.

IBIMED, Department of Medical Sciences, and LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Portugal 

Rui Vitorino works in the Department of Medical Sciences at the University of Aveiro, where he is the principal investigator. His expertise in OMICS, especially in proteomics and bioinformatics, makes him a pioneer in this field. Dr. Vitorino's research focuses on the detailed analysis of biofluids, such as saliva and urine, to decipher molecular pathways associated with different disease phenotypes. He employs a variety of multidisciplinary techniques for protein enrichment and biofluid analysis, all aimed at improving the detection and understanding of disease biomarkers.

IBIMED, Department of Medical Sciences, and LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Portugal 

Rita Maria Pinho Ferreira has a degree and a PhD in Biochemistry. RF is Associate Professor with habilitation at DQ-UA where she has been teaching courses related to biochemistry and molecular biomedicine to both undergraduate and graduate students. RF develops research work in the field of muscle plasticity in pathophysiological conditions, including the evaluation of the impact of exercise training in wasting conditions using Omics approaches. Her interest by muscle plasticity started at PhD and since then she has been devoted to the study of the preventive and therapeutic effect of physical activity in the setting of cancer cachexia.

University of Aveiro

Diana Cláudia Pinto is an Associate Professor with Habilitation at the University of Aveiro involved in the teaching of Organic Chemistry, Organic Synthesis, Medicinal Chemistry and Natural Products Chemistry. At the same time, she was always involved in the guidance of students in the Final Project of the Bachelor's Degree (> 60), Master's (> 25), and Ph.D. (> 12) theses. She also guided foreign graduate students (> 15) who performed short-term internships (~ one year) in the Department of Chemistry of the University of Aveiro. Since January 2020, she has been an integrated member of the Associated Laboratory of Green Chemistry (LAQV-REQUIMTE), Aveiro polo. Scientific activity has been focused on organic synthesis, and scientific interests have always diversified in several areas by discovering new bioactive molecules that can contribute to interdisciplinary solutions. Namely, i) developing "environmentally friendly" methods, ii) phytochemical studies involving establishing chemical profiles by GC- and UHPLC-MS, and iii) the isolation and characterization of specialized metabolites. The results of her research have been summarized in over 190 publications in highly qualified international journals. She is also a member of the Marine Drugs, Pharmaceuticals, Journal of Natural Medicines Research and Journal of Advanced Natural Product Research Editorial Board.

University of Aveiro

Vera L. M. Silva is Assistant Professor at the Chemistry Department of University of Aveiro and Researcher at the Molecular Synthesis Group of LAQV/REQUIMTE - Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry - Clean Technologies and Processes. She obtained the BSc in Analytical Chemistry, MSc in Chemistry of Natural Products and Food Stuffs, and PhD in Chemistry (Organic Chemistry) degrees by the University of Aveiro. Her current research interests comprise the design, synthesis, and structural characterization of novel compounds for medicinal applications, and the development of sustainable organic synthesis methodologies, based on more contemporary tools such as ohmic heating. She also develops teaching, research, and supervision activities, in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, being STEM-CPD Ambassador since October 2023. She published 3 book chapters, 2 e-books, > 73 SCI papers, and 1 patent. Her activities include the supervision and co-supervision of 6 PhD (2 concluded) and 14 MSc students, 29 Bachelor students and 5 Erasmus students. She was coordinator of a nationally funded project and has participated as team member in several other national and international research projects. She participated in the organizing committee of national and international conferences and presented several oral and poster communications at national and international scientific meetings.

CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine

UPES Dehradun

Prof Anand Gaurav is currently working at UPES Dehradun. Prof Anand Gaurav’s area of expertise is computer aided drug design and synthesis of drugs and small molecules of biological interest. His current research focuses on the design of selective phosphodiesterase 4B inhibitors as anti-inflammatory agents and dual phosphodiesterase 1B/10A inhibitors as anti-schizophrenia drugs. He has obtained several research grants amounting more than 300,000 Malaysian ringgits including that from ministry of higher education, Malaysia.

He has published over 70 publications in journals of international repute including 5 book chapters. He is on the editorial board of international journals such as PLOS One and Frontiers in Drug Discovery, and serves as reviewer for many journals of significant reputation including Medicinal Chemistry Research, PLOS ONE, Journal of Molecular Modeling, Future Drugs, Cell Biochemistry and Biophysics.

Padre Albino University Center (UNIFIFA), Catanduva, Brazil

Prof. A. P. Girol holds a Bachelor's Degree in Biological Sciences from the Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho of São José do Rio Preto-SP (IBILCE / UNESP), Brazil, Master in Morphology from the Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo-SP (UNIFESP / EPM), Brazil, PhD in Genetics and Post-Doctorate in Immunomorphology at IBILCE / UNESP, Brazil. She is Professor and Pro-Rector of Graduate Studies and Research at the Padre Albino University Center (UNIFIPA), Catanduva-SP, Brazil and accredited at the Graduate Program in Biosciences at IBILCE/UNESP and at the Graduate Program in Structural and Functional Biology at UNIFESP/EPM. She has experience in Morphology, with emphasis on Cell Biology, Histology and Embryology and she develops research related to the study of mast cells, the anti-inflammatory protein annexin-A1, natural bioactive compounds from medicinal plants and biomembranes in inflammatory, regenerative and tumoral processes.

She collaborates with UA in embryonic development and implantation, within the scope of the curricular unit Reproduction and Associated Diseases of the Degree in Biomedical Sciences, and in the COIL project (Collaborative Online International Learning).

Ana Paula painted several tissues, organs, stages of embryonic development, among other biological structures, displayed in some laboratories at her university. In her works, the striated alignments are evident, the nuclear points in the center of the circles of the units of life – the cells –, always united by a web of connection as only the connective tissue can support. Between tones and contrasts, one can perceive the unfolding of the functional structures that allow movement, stimulus, impulse, thought, secretion, conception and healthy life... until something abnormal happens in this dynamic unfolding of body tissues and human life.

Her interest in drawing and painting is reflected in her teaching of Biomedicine/Medicine.

Prof. A. P. Girol was the Chair of the 3rd International Conference on Natural Products and Human health (ICNPHH-2023), held at Padre Albino University Center (UNIFIPA), Catanduva, SP, 9th to 11th October, 2023.

Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Malaysia

Studio Petals, Kathmandu, Nepal

Neera J. Pradhan (M. Sc. Botany, Tribhuvan University, Nepal) is an independent Artist and Botanical illustrator based in Nepal, where she continues her passion for art and love for nature. Her approach of combining art and science first began in 1999. She was trained as a Botanical Illustrator in the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Florida USA in 2002, and Royal Botanical Garden of Edinburgh, UK in 2007. She has exhibited her art works locally and internationally. Among many shows, International Juried Botanical Art Exhibition, 2004 ASBA and BISCOT 2007 UK, Flora of Nepal exhibition in 2016, 19th International Botanical Congress in China and in the Shanghai Art Collection Museum, China in 2019, Global Artist Movement in the Toyota Municipal Museum of Art, Japan in 2019, Wuhan International Botanical Art Exhibition, Florilegium: A Gathering of Flowers at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Edinburgh, Scotland, 2020. Florence Biennale 2021, Italy, was staged for main exhibitions. She has contributed to research and conservation of Nepalese flora. In this endeavor, several scientific line drawings for ‘’Flora of Nepal” Vol. III, and upcoming volumes as well as several articles have been published in different journals. She has been a resource person and facilitator in national and international botanical art /illustration workshops, for flora writers and for different levels of students.

Moreover, her expertise in academic scientific botanical art, and beyond her usual subject matter, she seeks to unfold the spiritual aspect of her creativity – which depicts the truthful essence of the organic world of flora. She uses watercolor and acrylic paints as her best medium. Currently, she works and lives in her home country, Nepal.

Arts4people, Portuga

Ana Sílvia Malhado, graduated in Biology from the University of Aveiro, is a professor of Biology and Geology and coordinates projects related to Environmental Education. She develops her passion for art since 2011; she has been working in watercolor, acrylic and oil. She has participated in solo and collective exhibitions in several countries (Portugal, Bangladesh, Italy, and Sri Lanka), where she has received several awards.

Her work highlights floral motifs, medicinal plants and other natural products, especially paintings on used tea bags.