Dr. Leandro M. O. Lourenço

Leandro Lourenço was born in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela. He got his first university degree in Industrial Chemistry at University of Coimbra (UC), Coimbra, in 2007. One year later he concluded his Masters in Chemistry at UC. During the year of 2014 finished his PhD in Chemistry at University of Aveiro. Since 2016, is Principal Investigator of the scientific FCT projects (PTDC/QUI-QOR/31770/2017 and PTDC/QEQ-SUP/5355/2014) that aims the synthesis of photoactive molecules and development of photovoltaic materials to optimize electronic devices efficiency, particularly in the field of renewable and sustainable energy. The domain of specializations and research interests is based on Materials Chemistry and Supramolecular Chemistry with the design of multifunctional hybrid materials, such as organic molecules to couple supramolecularly with nanostructures, such as graphene nanosheets (GN), carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and fullerenes (C60) for application in nanosciences. Supramolecular derivatization of organic compounds to perform organized nanomaterials via coordination chemistry and study their physical, chemical, thermal and mechanical properties. Also Medicinal Chemistry with the design of amphiphilic photosensitizers (porphyrins, chlorins, and phthalocyanines) for photoinactivation (PDI) of microorganisms and for Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) against cancer tumor cells as therapeutic strategies. Also, conception and characterization of dyes for human blood disinfection.