Research group
Chemistry and Bioactivity
Position
Researcher
Ricardo MF da Costa, PhD (Biology/Biochemistry), is an Assistant Researcher in the fields of Phytochemicals and Plant Structural Biochemistry, focusing mainly on the following Research Areas:
- Phytopathology: Investigating plant cell wall mechanisms affecting disease progression and resistance, particularly in agroforestry species, to support disease mitigation and the development of resistant genotypes.
- Natural Products: Identifying and optimising bioactive compounds from plant biomass for applications in health, nutraceuticals, and sustainable agriculture.
- Lignocellulosic Biomass: Improving plant cell wall conversion processes for biorefinery applications and sustainable material production.
Currently, Ricardo also is the Principal Investigator (PI) of the PineWALL Project (FCT - PTDC/ASP-SIL/3142/2020), which explores how pine cell wall composition influences resistance to the pinewood nematode, the causative agent of pine wilt disease. His interdisciplinary expertise spans diverse projects, from enzyme discovery via metagenomics, to identifying pulmonary disease metabolic biomarkers, showcasing his adaptability across life sciences.
Representative Publications
Study of physiological and biochemical events leading to vitrification of Arbutus unedo L. cultured in vitro
10.1007/s00468-020-02036-0
Combining an innovative non-invasive sampling method and high-throughput sequencing to characterize fungal communities on a canvas painting
10.1016/j.ibiod.2019.104816
Nutrient and drought stress: implications for phenology and biomass quality in miscanthus
10.1093/aob/mcy155
A cell wall reference profile for Miscanthus bioenergy crops highlights compositional and structural variations associated with development and organ origin
10.1111/nph.14306
Genotype, development and tissue-derived variation of cell-wall properties in the lignocellulosic energy crop Miscanthus
10.1093/aob/mcu054
Potensaphelenchus stammeri (Körner, 1954) Gu, Liu, Abolafia & Pedram, 2021 (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) from Pinus pinea Linnaeus, 1753 in Portugal
10.3390/f14050962
Spectrochemical analysis of seasonal and sexual variation of antioxidants in Corema album (L.) D. Don leaf extracts
10.1016/j.saa.2023.122816
Valorisation Potential of Invasive Acacia dealbata, A. longifolia and A. melanoxylon from Land Clearings
10.3390/MOLECULES27207006
Unravelling pine response to Fusarium circinatum through Raman spectroscopy
10.1002/JRS.6446
Biorefining Potential of Wild-Grown Arundo donax, Cortaderia selloana and Phragmites australis and the Feasibility of White-Rot Fungi-Mediated Pretreatments
10.3389/FPLS.2021.679966
FTIR Screening to Elucidate Compositional Differences in Maize Recombinant Inbred Lines with Contrasting Saccharification Efficiency Yields
10.3390/AGRONOMY11061130
Reduced Recalcitrance and Improved Pulp Properties in Eucalypt Woods Pretreated with White-Rot Fungi and Mild Alkali
10.1021/acs.iecr.3c03325
