Our group is keen and available to join a consortium focused on the valorisation of by-products and side-streams from natural sources (plant- and marine-derived) and/or on the development of novel food ingredients and food products obtained from natural matrices. Our core expertise lies in natural products chemistry and the comprehensive chemical and biological characterisation of complex natural matrices, including plant-based foods, ingredients, and extracts. While our background originates from natural-product-based drug discovery, our methodologies and platforms are directly applicable to the identification, characterisation, and functional validation of food bioactives and functional ingredients. Within a consortium, our contribution would mainly focus on the following aspects:

1. Advanced chemical characterisation of natural products and complex matrices using state-of-the-art chromatographic and spectrometric techniques (e.g., LC-MS/MS, GC-MS), including dereplication and chemical novelty assessment.
2. Comprehensive metabolite profiling, covering both primary and secondary metabolites, including amino acids, carbohydrates, carotenoids, phytosterols, and fatty acids.
3. Structure elucidation of bioactive compounds by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), and, when relevant, X-ray crystallography.
4. Preclinical bioactivity assessment of extracts, fractions, and isolated compounds using a broad panel of cell-free and cell-based models, with a particular focus on antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and healthy-ageing-related endpoints.

The Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry (LAQV) of the Network of Chemistry and Technology (REQUIMTE) is the Portuguese Research Centre for Sustainable Chemistry, a leading contributor to scientific innovation and a key partner to promote a sustainable development of our society. LAQV@REQUIMTE has been evaluated as an Excellent Research & Development Institution by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT).

The mission of LAQV@REQUIMTE is to initiate, advance, and promote the principles of Sustainable Chemistry through a wide range of research, networking, training, and outreach activities. Its organisational structure enables the sharing of advanced technical resources, coordinated by highly qualified staff, supporting access to state-of-the-art facilities in biochemical and biophysical analysis, chemical analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, microscopy, and X-ray diffraction.

Our research group is integrated within LAQV@REQUIMTE and is based at the Laboratory of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto. We are fully committed to implementing and promoting the principles of Sustainable Chemistry through research, networking, training, and outreach activities. Our research activities are specifically aligned with two of LAQV@REQUIMTE’s strategic thematic lines: Food & Nutrition and Health & Wellbeing.