(Chemical) Bonding is what makes life possible

Joana Vieira graduated in Chemistry at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto in 2021 and she got a master´s degree in Food Technology and Science in 2023, at a joint master’s program between the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto and the Department of Biological Engineering of the School of Engineering of the University of Minho.
During her bachelor´s and master´s internship, at the Food Polyphenol Lab, her research is focused on the understanding of the taste properties (astringency) of polyphenol-rich products and their modulation through economical, innovative and sustainable approaches using natural compounds like polysaccharides. Thus, she studied the effect of polysaccharides from food waste on polyphenol interactions with oral constituents like epithelial cells and salivary proteins. She held a Research Fellowship for the VIIAFOOD project (PRR - Mobilizing Agenda), which focused on studying the effect of yeast protein extracts on representative in vitro models of the oral cavity to assess their influence on the molecular interactions associated with the astringency phenomenon.
Currently, she works as a Research Fellow, contributing to the European project WHEATBIOME - Unravelling the potential of the wheat microbiome for the development of healthier, more sustainable and resilient wheat-derived food & feed products, funded by the European Commission.