I’m Professor of Optometry and Vision Sciences from the Department of Physics of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Beira Interior, Portugal, since 2016. In 2000 I received a B.Sc. in Applied Physics and Optics, specialization in Optometry from the University of Beira Interior, Portugal. In 2006 I received a M.Sc. in Vision Sciences from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra, Portugal, and in 2012 a Diploma of Advanced Studies in Biomedical Engineering from the same University. In 2017 I received a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Coimbra.
I’ do research in the field of bioengineering, applied to vision sciences since 2003 in the University of Coimbra. I start my research work in the Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences (IBILI) from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra, in the area of Quality of Vision. In 2009 I start working in ultrasounds applied also to vision sciences in the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Coimbra. In 2012 as Ph.D. student I submitted a project to the Foundation for Sciences and Technology (FCT) that was approved.
This project ended in 2015 with the final classification of Excellent and results in the development of a prototype of a medical device for automatic cataract detection, classification and hardness estimation (ESUS: Eye Scan Ultrasound System) that is under patent (PPP 109646). During this period I supervised 2 master theses related with the project and in 2016 I supervised a 3rd mater thesis also related with this research area.
In 2017 I submitted as co-principal investigator (Co-Investigador Responsável) a new project to the FCT for the validation of the developed prototype in humans. The project was approved and will start in June 2018. I’m currently a researcher in the Centre for Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Processes (CEMMPRE) research group from the University of Coimbra, and in the UBIMedical and Clinical and Experimental Centre for Visual Sciences from the University of Beira Interior. All my research in bioengineering has been performed in the University of Coimbra. I’m author of 11 scientific articles (one accepted for publication), being 1st author of 2 articles published in IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering journal; 2 in Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology journal (Elsevier); and 1 review in Machine Learning Techniques applied to Vision Sciences published in Current Eye Research journal.
My Research Interest is in Biomedical Engineering in Vision Sciences; Ultrasounds in Medicine; Adaptive Optics; Refractive Surgery (Quality of Vision and LASER technology); Cataract and Ocular Surgery. My professional activity is developed in the area of Clinical Optometry, Pediatric Optometry, Refractive and Cataract Surgery. This clinical activity provides me the skills needed to translate basic research to clinical research since it allows me to be update on the state of the art in vision sciences and to know what are the scientific problems in this area.