25 years of Science and Innovation
LEPABE is a research unit operating in the fields of Chemical, Environmental and Biological Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering of Porto (FEUP). With a large majority of young researchers, LEPABE is focused on generating scientific knowledge through interdisciplinary research, and on establishing successful university–industry collaborations for effective technology transfer. [...]
PhD Student awarded EES Solar best oral presentation
Posted on June 23rd, 2026
Andrés Soto, PhD student from the Processes, Product and Energy research group at LEPABE, participated in the international workshop ESEMA 2026 – Emerging Solar Energy Materials and Applications, held from June 1 to 5, 2026, in Porquerolles, France.
During the event, Andrés Soto delivered an oral presentation entitled “Advanced Interconnection Engineering in Flexible Inverted Perovskite Solar Modules.” In recognition of the scientific quality and impact of his work, he was awarded the EES Solar Award, a distinction that highlights the excellence of his contribution to advancing research in solar energy.
Congratulations!
Know more about this here.
LEPABE Researchers Win iUP25k 2026 with Innovative Solution to Decarbonize Industry
Posted on June 19th, 2026
João Pedro Freitas, a researcher, and Vicente Silva, a PhD student, both members of the Processes, Products and Energy research group at LEPABE, won first place in the 12th edition of iUP25k 2026 with their project Latent Energy Systems.
The winning proposal focuses on the decarbonization of industrial heat through an innovative thermal battery capable of storing renewable electricity, generated either on-site or supplied by the grid, and delivering heat to industrial facilities whenever needed. According to the researchers, the technology offers a sustainable alternative to conventional natural gas-fired boilers, enabling the storage and supply of heat with no direct emissions and at a competitive cost. The solution addresses one of the key challenges of the industrial energy transition by reducing dependence on fossil fuels and lowering the sector’s carbon footprint.
The team was supervised by Professor Adélio Mendes and Dr. Tânia Lopes. For the project leaders, participation in the competition represented an important step toward commercialization, allowing them to move beyond the academic environment and develop a market-oriented perspective. The award is seen as a significant recognition of the team’s work, providing additional motivation and enhancing the project’s credibility as it seeks to attract strategic partners and advance toward real-world implementation.
Congratulations!
Know more here.
PhD Student Receives Honorable Mention at U.Porto 3MT® 2026 Competition
Posted on June 11th, 2026
Leonardo Rodrigues, a PhD student at LEPABE/ALiCE within the Processes, Products and Energy research group, has been awarded an Honorable Mention at the 2026 U.Porto 3MT® (Three Minute Thesis) competition, an initiative that challenges doctoral students to communicate the significance and impact of their research in just three minutes.
The distinction was granted by the competition jury following his presentation entitled “Optimization of Renewable-Based Systems for Households”. The research focuses on the simulation and optimization of renewable energy systems for buildings, with particular emphasis on photovoltaic technologies and energy storage solutions. By improving the integration and performance of these technologies, the work contributes to a more efficient and sustainable use of energy resources.
Organized by the University of Porto, the 3MT® competition aims to bring scientific research closer to society by encouraging doctoral students to communicate complex topics in a clear, engaging, and accessible manner.
Congratulations!
More information can be found here.
PhD Thesis by Miguel Leitão on biofilm infections treatment
June 9th, 2026
LEPABE would like to congratulate Dr. Miguel Leitão for his PhD thesis of the Doctoral Program in Chemical and Biological Engineering, entitled “Development of innovative multi-target directed agents for biofilm infections treatment”, supervised by Anabela Borges, defended on June 9th, 2026 FEUP.
PhD Thesis by Tiago Taborda on optimization and modeling of photobioreactors
May 29th, 2026
LEPABE would like to congratulate Dr. Tiago Taborda for his PhD thesis of the Doctoral Program in Refining, Petrochemical and Chemical Engineering, entitled “Static Optimization and Dynamic Modeling of Closed Photobioreactors”, co-supervised by José Carlos Pires, defended on May 29th, 2026 IST-UL.
PhD Thesis by Eva Salgado on microalgae-based removal of pollutans
May 29th, 2026
LEPABE would like to congratulate Dr. Eva Salgado for her PhD thesis of the Doctoral Program in Environmental Engineering, entitled “Microalgae-based removal of volatile methylsiloxanes and conventional pollutants from liquid and gaseous streams”, supervised by José Carlos Pires, defended on May 29th, 2026 FEUP.
PhD Thesis by Pedro Cerqueira on production of hydrogen from agro-industrial wastewater
April 17th, 2026
LEPABE would like to congratulate Dr. Pedro Cerqueira for his PhD thesis of the Doctoral Program in Chemical and Biological Engineering, entitled “Autothermal sorption-enhanced reforming for the production of hydrogen from agro-industrial wastewater”, supervised by Miguel A. Soria, defended on April 17th, 2026 FEUP.
- LEPABE meeting 2023
- LEPABE was granted new Ph.D scholarships in the FCT 2025 call
- LEPABE was granted new exploratory projects in FCT 2024 call
- Bárbara Nunes receives the Paul Ehrlich MedChem Euro-PhD Network Award of Excellence
- LEPABE Researcher Selected in IACOBUS Program - Scientific Papers 2025/2026
- Manuel Simões receives U. Porto 2026 Scientific Research Excellence Award
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