Microbiology of Man-made Environments
The main aim of the laboratory is the study of isolated microbial strains and of microbial populations and in natural environments and mostly in environments created by man like food products, polluted waters or microbial/host pairs.
Head of Laboratory
 Maria Teresa Crespo Investigador Principal IBET (CV) Director of Good Laboratory Practices Unit PhD in Biological Engineering, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, FCT | Research InterestsGroup MembersSelected PublicationsMicrobiologia (PT) |
Phone (+351) 214469551 |  |
Research Interests
The main aim of the group is the study microbial populations and isolated microbial strains in natural environments and mostly in environments created by man like food products, water sources, and polluted waters or microbial/host pairs. The dynamics of growth, survival and biochemical activity of microorganisms in these environments is the result of stress reactions in response to changes of physical and chemical conditions into the particular microenvironment that grow under the constraints imposed by spatial heterogeneity and the in situ cell-to-cell ecological interactions, which often occurs at interfaces. The data is integrated in microbial and molecular biology tasks which are expected to evaluate which are the members of the microbial communities present, its dynamics and biochemical activity along the production/growth process. Study cases considered along the years were traditional food products, where data from molecular biology methods and biochemical methods, like use of C-sources by the population as a whole, allowed the proposal of new ways of early estimation of the quality of food products. The study of the microbial populations responsible for pollutant removal, using bioreactors for treatment of waste waters, has been also one of the focuses of research of the group. Populations have been studied using total DNA, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), cloning and sequencing, analytical chemistry, biochemistry, microscopy, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and other strategies, in order to identify the members of the population responsible for optimal processes operation/production. Also, due to the knowledge in microbiology, studies of specific microbial groups which have other applications, like agricultural applications, are considered by the team in its research program. An example of this is the study performed on a collection of rhizobial strains that nodulate annual medics in order to devise new ways of identifying strains with agronomical application potential.
Group Members
- Dulce Brito, Post Doc
- Gilda Carvalho, Post Doc
- Patricia Noronha, Post Doc
- Vanessa Pereira, Post Doc
- Ana Filipa Silva, PhD Students
- Bárbara Almeida, PhD Students
- Sandra Sanches, PhD Students
- Catarina Sousa, Master Students
- Sara Cruz, Master Students
- Sara Craveiro, Master Students
- Paula Isabel Alves, Research Technicians
- Ana Catarina Dourado, Technicians
- Beatriz Oliveira, MSc
Selected Publications
- V.J. Pereira, D. Fernandes, G. Carvalho, M.J. Benoliel, M.V. SanRomão, M.T. Barreto Crespo. 2010. Assessment of the presence and dynamics of fungi in drinking water sources using cultural and molecular methods. Water Res. 44: 4850-4859.
- A.F. Silva, G. Carvalho, R. Soares, A. V. Coelho and M.T. BarretoCrespo. 2012. Step-by-step strategy for protein enrichment and proteome characterization of extracellular polymeric substances in wastewater treatment systems. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 95: 767-776
- T. Semedo, M. Almeida Santos, M.F. Silva Lopes, J.J. FigueiredoMarques, M.T. Barreto Crespo, R. Tenreiro. 2003. Virulence factors in food, clinical and reference enterococci: a common trait in the genus? Syst Appl Microbiol. 26: 13-22.
Laboratory's Website
For further information please visit the laboratory's website
Microbiologia (PT)
Microbiology of Man Made Environments
O objectivo principal do Laboratório Microbiology of Man-Made Environments é o estudo de isolados bacterianos e de populações microbianas de ambientes naturais e ambientes criados pelo homem como alimentos, fontes de água para consumo humano, águas poluídas ou pares micróbio/hospedeiro. Os resultados da utilização de metodologias de microbiologia clássica, biologia molecular, imagiologia ou bioquímica são integrados para identificar os membros das comunidades microbianas, com especial relevo para as populações bacterianas, estudar a sua dinâmica e actividade ao longo de processos de produção/crescimento. Os estudos ao longo dos anos versaram sobre a microbiologia de produtos alimentares, como o estudo de Enterococcus em queijos tradicionais portugueses, estudo de populações microbianas responsáveis pela remoção de poluentes em águas residuais, ou estudo de microrganismos com aplicações agrícolas, como sejam as bactérias nodulantes fixadoras de azoto.
