Marina Domingos-Lopes obtained her Degree (2004) and a master’s degree in Biochemistry (2010) by the Faculty of Sciences of University of Lisbon and finished a PhD degree in Agricultural Sciences, specialization in Food Technology by the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences of the University of the Azores (2020).

During her master she investigate the “Honey bioactivity: antioxidant, antimicrobial activity and composition in organic acids” and in the PhD the microbiome of a traditional Azorean cheese, focusing on the selection, identification, and characterization of lactic acid bacteria with technological and safety properties for a value-added product (cheese and yogurt) with probiotic and health-promoting benefits.

Marina has now a Post-doctoral fellowship to preserve traditional Azorean grapevines germplasm and identify varieties using genotyping. This work aims to respond to an emerging need to produce a high value-added virus-free grapevine, through sanitary improvement; establishment an in vitro collection of traditional Azores grapevines clones and rootstocks; eradicate viruses by in vitrothermotherapy and meristem preparations and establish an ex-vivo collection of sanitized grapevines and rootstocks to production mother-foot fields of vegetative propagation material. In the final will benefits the wine growers, preserve the Azorean heritage and will have a higher impact in Azorean economy and sustainability.

Her main research areas are in the field of Food and Biotechnology, with special interest in Molecular Characterization of Genetic Resources, Food Biotechnology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, for the study of microbiomes, probiotics, exopolysaccharides, plant-microbe interactions, and bioactivity of metabolites in natural resources for a more sustained agroecosystems and health-promoting products.

She is committed to solve scientific and technological challenges, and has experience as dance coach, teacher of several curricular units and supervise master's students.

Has collaborated with teams from the Biotechnology Centre of Azores (CBA), Institute of Research and Technology of Agronomy and Environment (IITAA), ITQB - Institute of Chemical and Biological Technology, Teagasc - Moorepark - Food Research Centre, APC Microbiome Institute (Ireland) and NARIC Food Science Research Institute (Hungary).