Who are we?
About UC MAR
The Transfer of Knowledge in the Service of the Economy of the Sea – UC MAR – is an example of the capacity of the University of Coimbra to enhance economic activities associated with the maritime sector, through the creation of new products and services derived from research and development initiatives.
In this way UC MAR aims to facilitate the creation and dissemination of cutting-edge techniques in fishing as well as the processing and marketing of fishery and aquaculture products. UC MAR seeks to encourage the transfer of knowledge through partnerships between scientists and the fishing industry.
Multidisciplinary researchers at the University are developing a set of specific projects to promote innovation in the fisheries and aquaculture sector.
What are we doing?
Through projects established within UC MAR and in conjunction with wider society, we are utilizing knowledge and technology to foster sustainable scientific, social, cultural and economic development in the Blue Economy and the Economy of the Sea.
The Laboratories
MARINE RESEARCH LAB
The Marine Research Lab is a scientific research group of the Centre for Functional Ecology - Science for People & the Planet, hosted by the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Coimbra integrado no Departamento de Ciências da Vida da Universidade de Coimbra. This multidisciplinary group focuses its research on the study of marine life, working in areas such as biodiversity, climate change, fisheries, aquaculture, ecotoxicology and human health.
MAREFOZ
The MAREFOZ Laboratory is within the framework of the MARE - Centre for Marine and Environmental Sciences and, as a part of the University of Coimbra, has established a permanent presence in the Municipality of Figueira da Foz. MAREFOZ is contributing to the sustainable scientific, economic, social and cultural development of the region. As a conduit for R&D results, MAREFOZ fosters relationships with businesses and the market, in order to ensure the wider national and international impact of the scientific research done at UC.
In particular, MAREFOZ supports the regional economy and businesses in implementing the concept of the Blue Economy through a recognition of the social importance and economic value of the sea.
CFE
O “Centre for Functional Ecology - Science for People & the Planet” (CFE) is an R&D unit hosted in the Department of Life Sciences of the University of Coimbra that brings together researchers from all fields of ecology and sciences. The CFE seeks to integrate this knowledge, ranging from genes to biomes, with the objective of studying the mechanisms responsible for the maintenance of biodiversity and the composition, structure and functioning of biological communities and ecosystems. The CFE is committed to transferring knowledge to the general public and to the productive sectors, with an emphasis on the sustainability of territories and the well-being of local communities.
The team
Ana Lígia Primo
Post-doc researcher in the Department of Life Sciences at UC and member of the Centre for Functional Ecology research unit. PhD in Biology from UC in 2012, she is researching the biology and ecology of zooplankton and the larvae of marine and estuarine fish, and studying how climatic factors influence their migrations, structure and population dynamics. In her career she has published 17 articles in indexed journals.
Arménio Coimbra Serra
Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at UC. He has coordinated seven scientific research projects, funded by community grants, and participated in 14. He has written and published several articles in scientific journals.
Ana Rita Querido
Innovation Manager at UC Business, in the areas of health, natural resources, agri-food and environment. President of the Centre for Management Students in the Academic Association at Coimbra from 2017 to 2018. Representative for bachelor's and master's degree students at the General Council of the University of Coimbra from 2019 to 2020.
Cristina Nunes
Marketing and Communication Coordinator at UC Business. Graduated in Management from the Faculty of Economics of the University of Coimbra, with a master's degree in Marketing from ISEG (Lisbon School of Economics and Management). Postgraduate in Applied Digital Marketing at ISCTE (University Institute of Lisbon).
Dina Maria Bairrada Murtinho
Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, UC. In June 2006 she completed her PhD in Chemistry, cum laude, with a specialization in Organic Synthesis and on the subject of "Development of New Chiral Catalysts for Alkylation and Reduction." She is part of the team of the Catalysis and Sustainability (CATSUS) doctoral program, approved by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). This has integrated several projects funded by FCT.
Eduardo Bento
PhD student in the Department of Life Sciences at UC and a member of the CFE research unit. Master in Ecology from UC in 2015, developing research dedicated to the ecology of marine fish. The research examines how climatic and environmental factors influence the use of the estuarine habitat by juveniles and has focused recently on the analysis of data from Arte Xávega fishing in Portugal. He has published an article in an indexed journal.
Filipe Costa
Master's student in Ecology in the Department of Life Sciences at UC and a member of the CFE research unit. Graduated in Biology from the University of Algarve in 2018, developing research dedicated to the bioaccumulation of contaminants in marine fish along the Portuguese coast.
Filipe Martinho
Assistant Researcher at the Department of Life Sciences of UC and member of the CFE research unit. PhD in Biology from UC in 2009, developing research dedicated to the biology and ecology of marine and estuarine fish. The research considers how environmental climatic factors influence critical stages of the life cycle, such as spawning, larval migration, and recruitment of juveniles. In his career he has published 41 articles in indexed journals, and several technical reports, including the most recent evaluation of Arte Xávega fishing in Portugal.
Maria Margarida Lopes Figueiredo
Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering. PhD in Chemical Engineering in 1997 from UC. She has been involved in numerous projects and published in international scientific journals.
Miguel Pardal
Associate Professor in the Department of Life Sciences at UC and a member of the CFE research unit. PhD in Biology from UC in 1999, developing multidisciplinary research on marine and estuarine ecology, and the long-term influence of climatic factors on communities. In his career he has supervised more than 25 PhDs, published over 250 articles in indexed journals, and produced numerous technical reports, including the most recent evaluation of Arte Xávega fishing in Portugal.
Joana Baptista
Post-doc researcher in the Department of Life Sciences at UC and a member of the CFE research unit. PhD in Biology from UC in 2013, her field of research is the effects of contaminants and climate change on marine and estuarine fish, with a recent focus on the analysis of data from Arte Xávega landings in Portugal. In her career she has published 11 articles in indexed journals and also participated in the most recent evaluation of Arte Xávega fishing in Portugal.
Jorge Fernando Jordão Coelho
PhD in Chemical Engineering from UC in November 2006 cum laude, specializing in Chemical Processes since November 2006, with the public defence of a thesis entitled "New technologies for homopolymerization and copolymerization of vinyl chloride". He was an Integrated Member of the Research Centre in Chemical Process and Forest Products Engineering (CIEPQPF) in the Chemical Engineering Department at FCTUC between 2006 and 2014.
Jorge Manuel Santos Rocha
PhD in Chemical Engineering from UC in 1997, with the public defence of his thesis entitled "Lipase Immobilisation onto Polymeric Supports for Biocatalysis in Organic Medium". Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at FCTUC. He has written numerous international publications and participated in several projects financed by community and other funds.
Partnerships
MARE - Centre for Maritime and Environmental Sciences
Ocean Forum - Association of the Economy of the Sea
Companies
In recent years, SICOR has been working on a collaborative project with UC to introduce poly (lactic acid) (PLA) as a raw material for the production of filaments for use in ropemaking. This collaboration has resulted in the creation of a PLA-based filament to serve as a base material for the fabrication of threads and ropes. This material can and should be produced on an industrial scale.