João Ferreira completed his PhD in Chemical and Biological Sciences in June 2026 at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Portugal. He evaluated the nutritional composition, phytochemical profile and in vitro bioactivities of the red seaweeds Grateloupia turuturu and Porphyra umbilicalis, supporting their valorisation as nutritional resources and functional food. This work integrated nutritional analysis, bioactive compound characterisation and cell culture-based assays to evaluate antioxidant, neuroprotective, immunomodulatory and cytotoxicity-related effects. Beyond his doctoral work, he has contributed to research using Drosophila melanogaster and Mus musculus models to investigate the bioactive properties of natural products, particularly in the context of functional foods, antigenotoxicity, longevity promotion and other health-related biological effects.