Academic Status: Full Professor on Biotechnology, Department of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Portugal.

Current Position: Vice-Rector of University of Minho, since July 2002. In charge of External Affairs, Research and Development (supervision of 30 research units involving 720 PhD researchers, supervision of 4 technological centres.)

Brief Career Description

• Graduation on ChemEng, Oporto Univ.,1972
• Service in the Army, 1972-75.
• Teaching assistant in the Oporto Polytechnics, Chemical Engineering Dept., 1976-1978.
• Teaching assistant in the Oporto University, Chemical Engineering Dept., 1978-1981.
• Docteur Génie Biochimique, INSA - Toulouse (França), 1985.
• Assistant Professor in the ChemEng Department, Oporto University, 1985-90.
• Associate Professor, Oporto University, Chemical Engineering Dept., 1990-1991.
• Associate Professor, Dept. of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 1991-94.
• Full Professor since Sep. 1994.

Management Activities

• Pedagogical Director, Dept. Biological Eng. 1991-93.
• Head of the Department of Biological Engineering, Univ. Minho, 1993 -1998.
• Vice-Dean, School of Engineering, Univ.Minho, 1996-1999.
• Director of MSc course on Biochemical Engineering, Univ. Minho, 1994-96.
• Director of MSc course on Environmental Technology, Univ. Minho, 2000-02.
• Director of IBQF (Institute of Biotechnology and Fine Chemistry, 65 PhD's, 140 researchers) since 2000.
• President of the Portuguese Society of Biotechnology, 1994-2002.
• Director of the Biological Engineering Research Centre (CEBUM) since 1998, (Top-rank Unit, rated Excellent in 2004 by an International Evaluation Panel, 60 researchers).
• Vice-Rector, University of Minho, since July 2004. In charge of International Affairs, Extension and Research, managing over 15 million euros of national research funding and 40 million euros of European research funds.

Participation in International Committees

• Portuguese delegate, "Working Party on Bioreactor Performance", European Federation of Biotechnology, 1986 -1993.
• Vice-President, SAC, "Scientific Advisory Committee", European Federation of Biotechnology, Jan. 1991 - Dec. 96.
• National Delegate, IV EU Frame-work Programme, 1995-1998, (Programme Committee BIOTECH). -National Delegate, V EU Frame-work Programme (Programme Committee Quality of Life & Management of Living Resources), 1999-2002.
• National Delegate, VI EU Frame-work Programme (Programme Life Sciences, Genomics and Biotechnology for Health), till February 2003 (ask replacement due to incompatibility with Vice-Rector tasks).

Scientific Supervision and Advising

• Supervision of 27 PhD theses, 30 MSc and 3 Post-docs.
• Member of the Science Advisory Board of the Portuguese Ministry of Science and Technology, 1990 -1994.
• Scientific Consultant of the company RAR , 1987-2001.
• Scientific consultant of the company Vinhos Borges, 1987 – 1992.
• IBET's Science Advisory Board, 1992 - 94.
• Permanent scientific referee of international magazines (Biotechnology & Bioeng., Biotechnol. Progress, J.Biotechnology, Colloids & Surfaces, Bioseparations, Int. J. Biodegradation, J. Chem. Technol. Biotechnol., Process Biochemistry, Polymer Degradation and Stability, Water Research, Water Science and Technology, Industrial Engineering & Chemistry Research).
• Evaluator of the Grant Programme of the Portuguese Ministry of Science & Technology, since 1995.
• Evaluator of bilateral cooperation programmes for the Ministry of Science and Technology, (Brasil-Portugal, Mexico-Portugal, Hungary-Portugal, etc.) since 1993.
• Evaluator of the NATO fellowship programme, since 1992.
• Scientific project auditor of the Portuguese Innovation Agency since 1996.
• Project evaluator of the European Union since 1994.
• Project evaluator for the Swiss National Science Foundation, 2006.
• General Supervisor of the Evaluation Panel of Biotechnology Projects, Portuguese Innovation Agency, 2002.
• General Supervisor of the Mid-term Evaluation Panel of Biotech Projects, FCT, 2002-03.
• Member of the Portuguese Science Advisory Board on Biotechnology of FCT (Portuguese Research Council) since 2002.
• External Science Advisory Board, IBET, together with Daniel Wang (MIT) and Joachim.Klein (GBF)

Affiliation in societies

• Member of the Portuguese Engineering Science Academy.
• Member (senior expert) of the Portuguese Institution of Engineers.
• Member of the Portuguese Society on Biotechnology.
• Member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science AAAS, Nº 10038043.
• Member of the Water Environment Federation Nº 1677986.
• Member of the International Water Association Nº 00794583.
• Member of the Filtration Society.
• Member of the American Air and Waste Management Association.

Familiarity with languages (spoken, read and written)

• Portuguese, Spanish, French, English (very good).
• Italian (good)

Main current research activities

• Population dynamics in aerobic and anaerobic processes
• Controlled anisotropic filtration
• Hyperbaric bioreactors
• Multiphase bioreactors
• Biodegradability of implants

Funded Research Projects

• Supervision of 28 scientific research projects, 10 of which international (1 NATO and 9 European).

Patents

• Mota, M., Teixeira, J.A. Cheese Whey Treatment and Valorisation Process with Continuous Ethanolic Fermentation. Quinta dos Ingleses, Patent no. 9767005.4-2110, 1999.

Awards

• Award “Stimulus to Excellence”, 2004, from the Ministry of Science and Technology (awarded to scientists with more than 100 refereed papers with 500 citations or more).

Scientific Works

Books

• Mota, M., Teixeira, J.A., Empis, J. (Eds), Biotechnology for the Food Industry (in Portuguese), FIPA Editions, 1999.
• Cabral, J.M.S., Mota, M., Tramper, J. (Eds.), Multiphase Bioreactor Design, Taylor & Francis, 528 pp, London 2001 (ISBN 0-415-27209-2), 2001.
• Lima, N. and Mota M. “General Principles of Biotechnology” (in Portuguese), Lidel Editions, 2002.

Papers

• 146 papers on International refereed magazines; 630 citations
• 50 chapters in international books.
• 61 refereed papers on International Proceedings.

www.deb.uminho.pt/pessoas/mmota

Last update: 09-Jan-2007

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