Maria Manuela Regalo da Fonseca

Associate Professor

Education:

Graduation in Chemical Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico (1974).
M.Sc. in Advanced Chemical Engineering, UMIST, U.K., 1979
Ph.D. in Biochemical Engineering, UMIST, U.K., 1983 (B. Atkinson)

Research:

Senior Researcher at the Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering (IBB) at IST (see http://dequim.ist.utl.pt/cebq/enverg/members/ManuelaFonseca.htm )

Main current interests:

• Multiphasic bioreactors (mass transfer and monitoring of gases and dissolved volatiles by mass spectrometry)
• Development of fed-batch strategies and the corresponding modelling for increased productivity
• Biotransformations in aqueous/organic media with whole cells; co-factor regeneration; bioreactors; product recovery
• Production of structured triglycerides with immobilised lipases

Happy to co-operate in potential applications of any of the above to Environmental Protection.

Selected Past Projects:

• Terpene Biotransformations (EC, BIO4-CT95-049), 1996-1999
• Multiphasic Bioreactors (PRAXIS, 2/2.1/BIO/1061/95), 1996-1999
• Engineering of Immobilised Cells (PRAXIS, 2/2.1/BIO/37/94), 1995-1998
• Enantioselective Biotechnological Resolution of Racemic Epoxides in the Production of Optically Pure Epoxides (EC, BIOT-CT91-0269), 1991-1994
• Tryptophan Production in Multiphasic Systems with Immobilised Cells (JNICT, BIO/87.60), 1987-1990.

Academic Duties:

• Biological Engineering Processes (Environmental Engineering)
• Fermenter Technology (Biological Engineering)
• Fermenter Engineering (M.Sc. in Biotechnology)

Selected Publications

van Keulen, F., Fonseca, M.M.R.. Batch Cultivation of Xanthobacter Py2 on 1-pentene, Biotechnology Letters, 16, (1994), 989-994.

Ferreira-Dias, S., Fonseca, M.M.R.. Production of Monoglycerides by Glycerolysis of Olive Oil with Immobilized Lipases: Effect of the Water Activity, Bioprocess Engineering, 12 (1995), 5327-337. 

S. Ferreira-Dias and M.M.R. da Fonseca, "The Effect of Substrate Hydrophobicity on the Kinetic Behaviour of Immobilised Candida rugosa Lipase" , Biocatal. Biotrans., 13 (1995) 99-110.

D.M.R. Mateus, S.S. Alves and M.M.R. da Fonseca, "Model for the Production of L-tryptophan from L-serine and Indole by Immobilized Cells in a Three-phase Liquid-impelled Loop Reactor",  Bioprocess Eng., 14 (1996), 151-158.

D.M.R. Mateus, M.M.R. Fonseca and S.S. Alves, "Hydrodynamics and Mass Transfer in a Liquid-Impelled Loop Reactor"  Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 35 (1996), 4559-4565.

A. Morão, C.I. Maia, M.M.R. da Fonseca, J.M.T. Vasconcelos and S.S. Alves, "Effect of Antifoam Addition on Gas-liquid Mass Transfer in Stirred Fermenters"  Bioprocess Eng., 20 (1999), 165-172.

D.M.R. Mateus, S.S. Alves and M.M.R. da Fonseca, "Diffusion in Cell-free and Cell Immobilising K-carrageenan Gel Beads with and without Chemical Reaction", Biotechnol. Bioeng., 63 (1999), 625-631.

C.C.R. de Carvalho, F. van Keulen and M.M.R. da Fonseca, "Production and Recovery of Limonene-1,2-diol and Simultaneous Resolution of a Diastereomeric Mixture of Limonene-1,2-epoxide with Whole Cells of Rhodococcus erythropolis DCL14", Biocatal. Biotrans., 18 (2000), 223-235.

C.S.R. Tecelão, F. van Keulen and M.M.R. da Fonseca, "Development of a Reaction System for Selective Conversion of (-)-trans-carveol to (-)-Carvone with Whole Cells of Rhodococcus erythropolis DCL14",  Journal of Molecular catalysis B: Enzymatic, 11 (2001), 719-724.

N.M. Osório, S. Ferreira-Dias, J.H. Gusmão and M.M.R. da Fonseca, "Response Surface Modelling of the Production of w-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Enriched Fats by a Commercial Immobilized Lipase", Journal of Molecular Catalysis B: Enzymatic, 11 (2001) , 677-686.

A.M.A. Nabais, M.M.R. da Fonseca,  "Improved Process for Clavulanic Acid Production", PCT/PT99/00012 (priority date: 20.07.98).

N.M. Osório, S. Ferreira-Dias, M.M.R. da Fonseca, "Processo Contínuo de Transesterificação de Gorduras Catalisado por Lipases" Patent Application Number PT102638, (priority date: 21.06.01).