Docente
Patrícia Branco

Resume

Patrícia Branco obtained a European PhD in Food Engineering in 2018 from the Instituto Superior de Agronomia, University of Lisbon, in collaboration with the University of Copenhagen. She holds an MSc in molecular biology from Egas Moniz Higher School of Health (2011) and a BSc in biotechnology engineering from the Faculty of Engineering, Lusófona University (2008). Her research focuses on microbiology, biotechnology and food science, with particular emphasis on antimicrobial peptides produced by microorganisms, their biochemical and molecular characterisation, mechanisms of action, and applications in food preservation, fermentation and sustainable biocontrol. She has also contributed to the development of eco-friendly biocides and molecular tools for microbial detection in complex matrices. Patrícia Branco has published 22 articles in Scopus-indexed journals, presented her work at national and international conferences, organised scientific events, supervised undergraduate students in biotechnology and biology, and served on academic thesis committees. She also received a scientific award from the International Union of Microbiological Societies for the best research paper. Since 2022, she has served as Guest Editor for the journal Antibiotics. She participated as a postdoctoral researcher in several research projects and coordinated the ART-BIOCIDES project at the HERCULES Laboratory, University of Évora, as well as the BIO-PHYTOFABs project at LEAF, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, University of Lisbon. She is currently an assistant professor at Lusófona University, coordinator of the Bioengineering and Sustainability Research Group (BioRG), and co-director of the MSc in Food and Molecular Biotechnology at the Faculty of Engineering, Lusófona University. She is also a researcher at LEAF, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, University of Lisbon. Her work lies at the interface of microbiology and biotechnology, contributing to food safety, microbial ecology and the development of sustainable biotechnological solutions.

Graus

• Doutoramento
  Food Engineer
• Mestrado
  Molecular Biology in Health
• Licenciatura
  Biotechnology Engineering
• Outros
  Blended Intensive Program on Problem Based Learning.

Publicações

Journal article

• 2026-03-17, Potential Innovative Tools for Heritage Conservation: A Novel RNA-FISH Probe and Antimicrobial Peptides for the Detection and Control of Arthrobacter spp. , Microorganisms
• 2025-06-03, Design of a Novel DNA-FISH Probe for the Rapid Identification of Candida albicans in Cosmetic Products, Cosmetics
• 2025-01-02, Assessing the Potential of Brewer’s Spent Grain to Enhance Cookie Physicochemical and Nutritional Profiles. , Foods
• 2024-09-13, Evaluation of Biotechnological Active Peptides Secreted by Saccharomyces cerevisiae with Potential Skin Benefits, Antibiotics , MDPI
• 2023-12-19, Effect of overexpression of partial TDH1 and TDH2/3 gene sequences in a starter strain of industrial bioethanol fermentation on the Brettanomyces¿bruxellensis contaminant growth, Letters in applied microbiology
• 2023-08-22, Role of p-Coumaric Acid and Micronutrients in Sulfur Dioxide Tolerance in Brettanomyces bruxellensis. , Beverages
• 2023-08-17, Exploring the multifaceted potential of a peptide fraction derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae metabolism: antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory properties., Antibiotics
• 2022-07-11, Wine Microbial Consortium: Seasonal Sources and Vectors Linking Vineyard and Winery Environments, Fermentation
• 2022-05-17, Evaluation of the biocontrol potential of a commercial yeast starter against fuel-ethanol fermentation contaminants, Fermentation
• 2022-02-24, Design and experimental evaluation of a new RNA-FISH probe to detect and identify Paenibacillus sp., Applied sciences
• 2021-12, Wine Spoilage Control: Impact of Saccharomycin on Brettanomyces bruxellensis and Its Conjugated Effect with Sulfur Dioxide, Microorganisms
• 2020-02, A simple procedure for detecting Dekkera bruxellensis in wine environment by RNA-FISH using a novel probe, International Journal of Food Microbiology
• 2019-06-14, An important step forward for the future development of an easy and fast procedure for identifying the most dangerous wine spoilage yeast, Dekkera bruxellensis, in wine environment, Microbial Biotechnology
• 2019, Biocontrol of Brettanomyces/Dekkera bruxellensis in alcoholic fermentations using saccharomycin-overproducing Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
• 2018-03-13, Effect of GAPDH-derived antimicrobial peptides on sensitive yeasts cells: membrane permeability, intracellular pH and H+-influx/-efflux rates, FEMS YEAST RESEARCH
• 2017-08-09, Antimicrobial properties and death-inducing mechanisms of saccharomycin, a biocide secreted by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
• 2017-04-25, Saccharomyces cerevisiae accumulates GAPDH-derived peptides on its cell surface that induce death of non-Saccharomyces yeasts by cell-to-cell contact, FEMS Microbiology Ecology
• 2015-06-24, Cell-to-cell contact and antimicrobial peptides play a combined role in the death of Lachanchea thermotolerans during mixed-culture alcoholic fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae, FEMS Microbiology Letters
• 2015, Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae induce alterations in the intracellular pH, membrane permeability and culturability of Hanseniaspora guilliermondii cells, International Journal of Food Microbiology
• 2014, Identification of novel GAPDH-derived antimicrobial peptides secreted by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and involved in wine microbial interactions, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
• 2012, Survival rate of wine-related yeasts during alcoholic fermentation assessed by direct live/dead staining combined with fluorescence in situ hybridization, International Journal of Food Microbiology
• 2011, Genetic diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy using mass spectrometry DNA arrays and high resolution melting, Revista Portuguesa de Cardiologia

Thesis / Dissertation

• 2018-01-18, PhD, Purification and biochemical/molecular characterisation of antimicrobial peptides produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and evaluation of their mode of action
• 2011-04-29, Master, Analysis and quantification of yeasts and bacteria by classical and molecular methods in alcoholic fermentations

Book

• 2019, Food Production and Agriculture, Delve Publishing
• 2018, Food Industry: Processes and Technologies, Branco, Patricia, Delve Publishing
• 2018, Biotechnology of Food and Feed Additives, Branco, Patrícia Alexandra Batista, Delve Publishing
• 2018, Applications of Microorganisms in Industrial Biotechnology, Branco, Patricia, Delve Publishing

Conference paper

• Dominance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in wine fermentations: secretion of antimicrobial peptides and microbial interactions 
• 2024-12-03, Development of Novel DNA Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Probes for Rapid Detection of Microbial Contaminants in Cosmetic Products
• 2023-11-10, Antimicrobial activity of a peptide fraction derived from Wickerhamomyces anomalus metabolism against fruit juices pathogens. , Jornadas CBIOS, Lisboa, Portugal
• 2017-12-29, A novel Dekkera bruxellensis RNA-FISH probe: design and evaluation, 4th World Congress and Expo on Applied Microbiology
• 2017-12-01, RNA-FISH for investigating Cultural Heritage Microbiology- Autofluorescence of the materials and fluorophores selection

Conference abstract

• 2025-04-04, Sustainable Antioxidants: Exploring Beer By-Products for Cosmetic and Pharmaceutical Applications, The 2nd International Electronic Conference on Antioxidants.
• 2024, Development of Novel DNA Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Probes for Rapid Detection of Microbial Contaminants in Cosmetic Products."., The 5th International Electronic Conference on Applied Sciences
• 2024, Antimicrobial Screening of Soil Filamentous Fungi: A Search for New Bioactive Agents , the 5th International Electronic Conference on Applied Sciences
• 2023-11-10, Design of a new DNA-FISH probe for the rapid identification of Candida albicans in food and cosmetic products. , Jornadas CBIOS
• 2023-11-10, Antimicrobial activity of two mycocins produced by Wickerhamomyces anomalus for the preservation of cosmetic formulations, Jornadas CBIOS
• 2023, Antimicrobial activity of a peptide fraction derived from Wickerhamomyces anomalus metabolism against fruit juices pathogens. , Jornadas CBIOS
• 2018-04-10, Aplicação da técnica Hibridação In Situ Fluorescente (FISH) em microrganismos que deterioram o Património Cultural, Jornadas departamento de Quimica
• 2017-12-07, Fluorophore´s role on the reliability of microorganism detection by Fluorescence In Situ Hybridisation (FISH), Microbiotec
• 2017-11, RNA-FISH for investigating Cultural Heritage Microbiology-Autofluorescence of the materials and fluorophores selection, 4th World Congress and Expo on Applied Microbiology
• 2013-12-06, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Dekkera bruxellensis interactions in alcoholic fermentations: growth and 4-ethylphenol production, Microbiotec

Conference poster

• 2026-02-10, Biological Succession and Degradation in Biofouled Plastics, The 1st International Online Conference on Biology session Marine Biology
• 2025-12-04, Biofouling and Buoyancy: Assessing How Marine Colonization Alters Plastic Debris Dynamics, Microbiotec
• 2025-05-21, Evaluation of yeast metabolites as natural preservatives for cosmetic formulations. , The 4th International Electronic Conference on Antibiotics.
• 2025-04-07, Antimicrobial and antioxidant peptides from Wickerhamomyces anomalus: A natural solution for clean label food preservation and beyond. , The 2nd International Electronic Conference on Antioxidants.
• 2025-04-02, Microbial diversity in composting: Identification and analysis of fungus-related and bacterial communities for enhanced organic waste recycling, The 3rd International Electronic Conference on Microbiology
• 2025-04-02, Antimicrobial activity of peptides produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Wickerhamomyces anomalus and Tetrapisispora phaffii against foodborne pathogens, The 3rd International Electronic Conference on Microbiology
• 2024-12-04, Development of Novel DNA Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Probes for Rapid Detection of Microbial Contaminants in Cosmetic Products., The 5th International Electronic Conference on Applied Sciences
• 2024-12-04, Antimicrobial Screening of Soil Filamentous Fungi: A Search for New Bioactive Agents, the 5th International Electronic Conference on Applied Sciences
• 2024-03-15, Brewer's Spent Grain Transformation: Rheological Insights and Physical Properties in Cookie Production, IV Jornadas Lusófonas de Nutrição
• 2023-11-10, Design of a new DNA-FISH probe for the rapid identification of Candida albicans in food and cosmetic products, Jornadas CBIOS
• 2023-11-10, Antimicrobial activity of two mycocins produced by Wickerhamomyces anomalus for the preservation of cosmetic formulations, Jornadas CBIOS
• 2023-11-10, Antimicrobial activity of a peptide fraction derived from Wickerhamomyces anomalus metabolism against fruit juices pathogens
• 2023-07-27, Characterization of the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of peptides secreted by Wickerhamomyces anomalus., Jornadas cientificas
• 2023-07-09, Evaluation of the antimicrobial conjugated effect of mycocins produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Debaryomyces hansenii against foodborne pathogens, FEMS
• 2021-11-23, Over-expression of AMPs in industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains as a biocontrol approach for fuel ethanol fermentations: cloning strategy and characterization, Microbiotec
• 2021-11-23, Antimicrobial peptides of Saccharomyces cerevisiae – a proteomic study, Microbiotec
• 2021-09-05, Conjugated effect of saccharomycin and SO2 on Brettanomyces/Dekkera bruxellensis growth/survival in simulated wines, XV Encontro de Química dos Alimentos
• 2021-08-23, Evaluation of the biocontrol potential of a commercial yeast starter against fuel-ethanol fermentation contaminants, International Congress on Yeasts (ICY)
• 2018-05-17, A novel Rhodotorula sp. RNA-FISH probe for the identification of this artwork’s biodeterioration agent, Web of knowledge
• 2017-11-29, A novel Dekkera bruxellensis RNA-FISH probe: design and evaluation, 4th World Congress and Expo on Applied Microbiology 2017
• 2016-11, GAPDH-derived AMPs affect the pH homeostasis of sensitive yeast cells by decreasing the H+-ATPase membrane activity, 6th Conference on Physiology of Yeast and Filamentous Fungi
• 2016-07-04, Expression of the GAPDH-derived AMPs on S. cerevisiae and evaluation of their biopreservative potential on wine fermentations, Encontro Ciência 2016
• 2014-07-11, Antimicrobial properties of GAPDH-derived AMPs secreted by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and death-inducing mechanisms (apoptosis/necrosis), XX Jornadas das Leveduras Professor Nicolau Van Uden
• 2014-06-04, GAPDH-derived AMPs secreted by Saccharomyces cerevisiae: mode of action and antimicrobial properties. , 4th International Symposium on Antimicrobial Peptides
• 2013-10-23, Antimicrobial peptides from Saccharomyces cerevisiae induce physiological changes in Hanseniaspora guilliermondii, 2nd International Conference on Microbial Diversity
• 2013-03-15, Quantification of Viable Wine Yeasts by Direct Live/Dead Staining Combined with Fluorescence in situ Hybridisation., 3º Encontro de biologia molecular
• 2011-12-01, Optimization of Live/Dead Staining combined with FISH method for quantification of yeasts in alcoholic fermentation, Microbiotec
• 2011-12-01, Carob Pulp as Feedstock for Bioethanol Production, Microbiotec
• 2011-03-18, Quantification of Oenococcus oeni by Direct Live/Dead Staining (LDS) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) during malolactic fermentations, 1º Encontro de Biologia Molecular em Saúde