Rui Galhano dos Santos got his PhD in Organic Chemistry in 2013 from the University of Lisbon, after having completed his degree in Chemistry in 2006 at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon. He is a senior researcher at Instituto Superior Técnico. He frequently lectures at Instituto Superior Técnico and Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa. He has published more than 30 articles in scientific journals and is co-inventor in 9 patents.
Presently, his studies are mainly focused and involves the studies and development of new strategies to up-cycle biomass and wastes for the production of added-valuable chemicals and/or materials as well as for the productions fo bio-fuels. Besides his exceptional knowledge of biomass liquefaction, organic synthesis, and carbohydrate chemistry, he has a scientific background in polymer chemistry, extraction, and separation of natural compounds, chemical structure elucidation, 1D and 2D–NMR, green chemistry, scale-up of chemical processes, biorefineries.
In early 2016, Rui Galhano dos Santos became a permanent member of CERENA - Center for Natural Resources and Environment