Teresa Crespo Lab
The group focus is the study of microoganisms (bacteria, viruses and fungi) present in food and water matrices and their pathogenic potential and impact on the environment and human health. The group has a long track record in characterizing microbial populations thriving in food and water matrices using a multidisciplinary approach and applying the most recent technology. |
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Investigador Principal IBET Phone (+351) 214469551 | Extension 1551 |
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Research Interests
Our current research interests are on the following main areas:
Food and water safety and quality
- Study and characterize the microbial communities (bacterial, viral and fungal) present in food and water, regarding their pathogenic potential, always within the scope of food safety and quality.
- Designing state of the art molecular biology and microbiology methods that overcome current technical difficulties in evaluating the presence of microbiological hazards in food and water.
Food and environmental microbiology
- Study the ecophysiology of environmental microbial communities (present in matrices such as wastewater, spring and groundwater, and soil), characterizing their populations and analyzing their impact on the environment, food and, ultimately, human health.
Authenticity of food products
- Devising molecular and microbiological methods for the assurance of traceability and authenticity
Group Members
Postdoctoral Fellows:
- Ana Filipa Silva, PhD
- Frédéric Bustos Gaspar, PhD
- Mónica Nunes, PhD
- Sandra Sanches, PhD (shared with João Paulo Crespo, Lab of Membrane Processes, iBET)
PhD students:
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Anabela Vieira, MSc
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Beatriz Oliveira, MSc
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Andreia Silva, MSc
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Micaela Oliveira, MSc
Selected Publications
- Silva AF, Antunes S, Saunders A, Freitas F, Vieira A, Galinha CF, Nilesen PH, Barreto Crespo MT, Carvalho G. Impact of sludge retention time on the fine structure composition of the microbial community and extracellular polymeric substances in a membrane bioreactor Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2016 100(19):8507-21.
- BR Oliveira, A Penetra, VV Cardoso, M.J Benoliel, MT Barreto Crespo, RA Samson, VJ Pereira. Biodegradation of pesticides using fungi species found in the aquatic environment. Environ Sci Pollut Res. 2015 22 (15): 11781-11791
- Gaspar FB, Montero N, Akary E, Teixeira N, Matos R, Gonzalez-Zorn B, Barreto Crespo MT, Serror P and Silva Lopes M de F. Incongruence between the cps type 2 genotype and host-related phenotypes of an Enterococcus faecalis food isolate. International Journal of Food Microbiology. 2012 158:120–125.
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 dos diferentes mciroorganismos (bactérias, virus e fungos) presentes em matrizes tais como alimentos, água como fontes de consumo humano e águas residuais. Este estudo tem em vista a análise do potencial patogénico que estas populações microbianas podem apresentar, quer na segurança alimentar quer no meio ambiente e, em última instância, na saúde humana. Igualmente o grupo tem uma forte componente de investigação quer ao nível da qualidade do alimento quer ao nível da autenticidade/rastreio deste. As abordagens consideradas pelo grupo para enfrentar estes desafios têm tido uma perspectiva multidisciplinar, colaborando com engenheiros químicos e ambientais, bioquímicos e químicos para ampliar a possibilidade de responder às lacunas encontradas na investigação nesta área da Microbiologia. Devido ao conhecimento básico do grupo em técnicas de microbiologia e biologia molecular, essas são as principais ferramentas utilizadas para os estudos de populações microbianas de alimentos e água, processos de biorremediação ou produção de estirpes microbianas com impacto agrícola.