Team members

Team members

Current team members

Susana Fernandes

Physico-chemist – Biopolymer Materials
Head of MANTA Chair

Susana Fernandes is an Associate Professor and PI and coordinator of the Chair E2S UPPA - MANTA at IPREM of the University of Pau and Pays de l'Adour, France (after 8 years in different European laboratories recognized in the fields of Natural Polymers). She is also Guest Researcher and a FORMAS Project PI at the Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University in Sweden.

She has expertise in research areas pertaining to functional and bio inspired biomaterials. Her research areas are focused on blue biotechnology, blue economy, chemical modification of biopolymers and design of functional polymeric materials from renewable resources, marine biomaterials and biomimetics etc.

Martin Thomas

PhD student – Physico-Chemistry

Photostability of biomolecules and biomaterials

Martin is a PhD student in the context of Make My Planet Great Again (MOPGA), Campus France, from which MANTA Chair is a laureate. He studies the impact of UV-absorbing biomaterials/bio-inspired materials in the marine environment. For this, he synthetises the materials and uses photochemical processes to study their photostability in diverse water matrices (fresh and seawater). This topic has broad applications in cosmetics and the biomedical sector.

Prior to join the MANTA team, he graduated from a Master of Technology in Polymer Science and Engineering from Cochin University of Science and Technology, India.

Contact: martin.thomas @ univ-pau.fr (martin.thomas @ univ-pau.fr) 

Colin McReynolds

PhD student - Biology

Blue Biotechnologie

Colin is a PhD student in Chemistry, focused on the use of fishing by-products. Before joining MANTA, he worked for 4 years with Laboratoires de Biarritz as a Researcher, developing cosmetic ingredients from seaweeds. Previously, he studied in several places, starting with New Caledonia, then Montpellier and finally Portugal, where he specialized in Marine Resource Biotechnology.

He is an ocean-person, loving to spend his free time in the seawater. While it all started in his childhood, he still goes on nowadays on the shores of the Atlantic ocean, driven by a great fascination for the ocean and a deep wish to protect it in all ways possible.

By providing more products from a single catch, he hopes to incite the respect of stocks and fisheries regulations, as well as the reduction of organic waste. He shares these values and ambition with the fishing industry of St Jean de Luz, supported by local fishing authorities (CIDPMEM 64-40). Through his PhD project, he notably uses innovative electrochemical techniques with the help of the SIAME laboratory.

Contact: c.mc-reynolds @ univ-pau.fr (c.mc-reynolds @ univ-pau.fr)

François Samalens

Chemist, PhD student (CIFRE)
Novel bio-sourced filters

During his Masters specialized in Physics and Chemistry of Materials at the Universiy of Pau and Pays de l’Adour (UPPA), François joined the MANTA Chair for a project combining chemistry and respect for the environment : imagine the bio-sourced and biodegradable materials of the future with a special focus on the study of marine polymers’ biodegradation.

This project led him to go on with « green » chemistry with an industry-oriented doctoral these between UPPA (within the MANTA Chair, especially) and Laboratoires de Biarritz, with the objective to push forward marine molecules in the cosmetic field. He is particularly interested in the UV-protection’s properties of the red algae for the development of novel bio-sourced and ocean-friendly UV filters.

Contact: fsamalens @ univ-pau.fr (fsamalens @ univ-pau.fr)

Sabine Bossuet-Planté

Chemistry technician (research and training) at Anglet’s UPPA campus

Graduated with a Higher Diploma of Technical Studies in Organic Chemistry, plus an additional year validated for a project of level "Engineer in Organic Chemistry", Sabine’s missions currently relates to educational support to the training of the Department of Physics/Chemistry, management of chemicals and waste around the campus, and administrative activities.
She also participates in MANTA’s research projects by providing support to undergraduate, doctoral and post-doctoral students, and also to private sector partners. This allows her to establish contacts with the industrial sector and to develop a response to a given problematic.

Contact : sabine.bossuet-plante @ univ-pau.fr (sabine.bossuet-plante @ univ-pau.fr)

Physico-chemistry, PhD student (France Relance thesis) / R&D project leader (SCALE)
Polymer and hybrid bio-based materials

Arnaud graduated from the MSc “Sciences et Génie des Matériaux” from the university of Pau et les Pays de l’Adour, with a specialization in the elaboration and physico-chemical characterization of polymer and composite materials. His final internship was performed at IPREM laboratories in the scope of a collaboration between Chair MANTA and LEES company. He worked on the combination of a polymeric matrix and biosourced fillers in order to develop new biocomposites for underwater applications.

His passion for R&D and the eco-conception of innovative products led him to join the team of SCALE, a start-up developing bio-based materials from marine by-products, in particular fish scales. To support its research, SCALE became a full partner of MANTA chair.

After a first year working as R&D project leader, Arnaud obtained funds from France Relance project for a PhD thesis within the RECEEFE project, which is about the research on extraction of collagen from fish scales and the development of eco-materials. This project is co-funded by SCALE and France Relance. The goal of his thesis is to develop a new chemical-free extraction technique to recover the molecules of interest from the fish scales in order to create a 100% bio-based material for the construction and interior design industries.

Contact: arnaud @ scale.vision (arnaud @ scale.vision)

Research engineer

Blue Biotechnologies

Emerging from an academic background connecting ocean sciences and blue biotechnologies, Nelly is particularly interested in the discovery of bioactive and/or structurally innovative biomolecules of marine origin, as well as their sustainable and eco-responsible uses.

After a first experience in the bioprospection of secondary metabolites from cyanobacteria, she engaged in the field of biopolymers as products of the valorization of marine by-products. Her passion for the ocean, and more generally for the environment, naturally guided her towards biomimetics and green methodologies applied to natural product research.

Within the MANTA team, Nelly supports the current research projects and participates to the development of future projects, with both scientific and management responsibilities. She also helps with scientific communication within the MANTA Chair and with public dissemination.

ORCID :https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1167-388X

Contact: nelbrugerolled @ univ-pau.fr (nelbrugerolled @ univ-pau.fr)

PhD student - Biochemistry and Biotechnology

Marine-based materials for maxillary bone regeneration

Before joining MANTA project, Sheila obtained a Master in Biomedical Research at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). In recent years, she was a member of the Tissue Engineering Research Group of the UPV/EHU (Leioa, Spain), in collaboration with Materials + Technology Research Group (GMT) from the Gipúzcoa School of Engineering (San Sebastián, Spain). She specialized in the evaluation of the in vitro biocompatibility of various materials (bacterial cellulose and its nanocomposites, polyurethanes and their bionanocomposites based on cellulose nanocrystals, graphene, chitosan-based hydrogels, etc).

Sheila is currently carrying out her PhD thesis, as a MANTA member, focusing on the development of 3D macroporous marine collagen-based biomaterials for their use in maxillary bone regeneration, in joint supervision with the Tissue Engineering Research Group of UPV/EHU. In this project, her goal is to get involved in all aspects of scaffold design, from the chemico-physical foundations to the cellular component, for its medical applications.

Contact: sheila.olza @ univ-pau.fr (sheila.olza @ univ-pau.fr)

Elodie Bascans

PhD student - Biochemistry
New biomaterials and glycosylation of marine compounds

Elodie just obtained her master’s degree in biological engineering at the INSA of Toulouse. Specialized in biocatalysis and willing to work on eco-friendly initiatives, Elodie completed her internship in the Catalysis and Enzyme Molecular Engineering Team (CIMEs) at the Toulouse Biotechnology Institute (TBI). During her internship, Elodie worked on the characterisation of protein modules having affinity for some polysaccharides.

Focused on the molecular characterisation of enzymes involved in the synthesis of polysaccharides of interest and the glycosylation of marine compounds, biomimicry is the key notion of Elodie’s thesis. This thesis is co-directed by Susana Fernandes and Claire Moulis, of the CIMEs team. This close collaboration between the two teams with complementary expertise, enables to investigate the designed biomaterials from the enzymatic engineering to the physicochemical characterisation.

Postdoc – Biochemist

Green extraction of valuable molecules from red algae

After obtaining an engineering degree (ENSAIA, green biotechnologies), Amandine spent several years in La Rochelle where she completed a CIFRE thesis in marine biochemistry at the LIENSs laboratory, in collaboration with the company Seprosys. During her PhD, she focused on the valorization of compounds from green macroalgae, particularly polysaccharides, for applications in pharmaceutics and cosmetics. After her PhD, Amandine worked more than 3 years as a research engineer in Seprosys where she developed extraction and purification processes on a wide variety of compounds while continuing the project on green macroalgae valorization.

Her passion for blue biotechnologies, and particularly for the valorization of natural extracts from marine plants, led her to join the MANTA team for a postdoc with the objective to develop a biorefinery process for red seaweeds. These macroalgae, rich in a large variety of biomolecules, could find applications in food, pharmaceutics, nutraceutics or cosmetics. Amandine is particularly interested in green extraction and purification processes, using chemical, physical and/or biological methods to improve the efficiency and selectivity of traditional methods.

Master Student – Bioeconomy

Blue Bioeconomy policies regarding marine biomaterials

Harshal is a sustainability enthusiast and performs a MSc in Bioeconomy at the University of Hohenheim, Germany. He has completed in 2018 a BSc in Biotechnology from Dr. D. Y. Patil Biotechnology and Bioinformatics Institute, India.

He believes that Biomimicry can provide solutions to the problems in conceptualising and implementing the Circular Bioeconomy, and can establish the relation between the philosophy of human nature and existence as a part of the Biosphere to achieve sustainable economic development.

His background in natural science and interests in circular and biobased economies led him to work with MANTA. His internship with MANTA focuses on the ethical and policy guidelines about sustainable marine exploitation and its impact analysis in the current socio-ecological transition of the Bioeconomy.  His research also involves mapping the Blue Bioeconomy ecosystem and the industry in Europe for the developent of Biomaterials.

Master student (MANTA/Ceebios) – Sociology

Ethics and social impacts of marine bioresources’ extraction

Patricia is currently enrolled as a second year Master student, specializing in Transition and Socio-ecological Transformation, at the National Museum of Natural History (MNHN, Paris). Patricia is performing her final internship in research on the ethics and social impacts of marine bioresources’ extraction. Previously, she graduated in philosophy and applied ethics at Paris Panthéon-Sorbonne.

Biochemical engineer and polymer chemist

Judith became a chemical engineer after graduating from ESCOM (Engineer school of organic and mineral chemistry). Passionate about chemistry and biology, she decided to train at the interface between these two fields by specialising in biochemistry and biotechnology. Her final year of study was spent at the University of Rimouski in Quebec, a university specialising in biotechnologies associated with microalgae, which aroused her interest in marine bioresources.
Wishing to research and develop new sustainable and bio-based products, Judith joined the MANTA team as well as the Scale team with the RECEEFE project (Research on the Extraction of Collagen from Fish Scales for the Study and Formulation of Eco-materials) as a biochemical engineer and polymer chemist.
This project aims to provide new solutions to valorise fish scales in order to develop innovative, biosourced and sustainable materials for the construction industry with a biomimetic approach.

Former team members

Post-doc – Biochemistry Enzymology
Février 2019 - Décembre 2019

Marion holds a PhD in Biochemistry and more particularly in Enzymology. After 5 years at the Toulouse Biotechnology Institute (TBI), she joined the MANTA team to develop enzymatic tools for the different research axis of the project.

She loves Nature and wants to act for its protection. She believes that sharing ideas is the key to take up challenges and reach the objectives. She is fond of learning and teaching and is particularly invested in science popularization events. 

She now works at the Communauté d’Agglomération du Pays Basque where she is in charge of the development of local schools, universities and research institutes.

Contact: m.claverie @ communaute-paysbasque.fr (m.claverie @ communaute-paysbasque.fr)

Natalia Castejón

PhD in Food Chemistry

Green extraction techniques

Natalia holds a PhD in Food Chemistry from the Autonomous University of Madrid (2018), where she graduated with Summa Cum Laude honors. Her PhD thesis primarily focused on the extraction of omega-3 oils from novel plants and microalgae, using green extraction techniques and environmentally friendly solvents to obtain extracts enriched in functional ingredients with potential food applications. During her PhD, she carried out two research stays at (i) University of Greifswald (Germany) during 3 months and (ii) at Institute of Institute of Catalysis and Petrochemistry (Madrid, Spain) during 5 months, to study the use of enzymes as innovative tools to design health‑promoting lipids. Afterwards, she worked for one year as a post-doctoral researcher at University of Iceland (2019), where her research dealt with the development of eco-friendly methods using pulsed electric fields to produce natural extracts from seaweeds to be used in cosmetics products.

Within the MANTA Chair, her research aims to develop alternative greener and efficient extraction approaches for obtaining bioactive molecules and biomacromolecules from red seaweeds. In particular, chemical, enzymatic and electric treatments are being evaluated to improve efficiency and selectivity of the extraction of structurally complex marine molecules. Moreover, the integral valorisation of these raw materials with biological properties of interest for food, cosmetic, medical and pharmaceutical applications is the key of her current research

She is co-author of 8 scientific articles in SCI international journals, a patent and 14 contributions to international scientific symposiums. In addition, she has been extensively involved in teaching tasks at Autonomous University of Madrid and has co-directed 2 MSc and 2 BSc Final Projects.

Scopus author ID: 57194756311

https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57194756311

Contact: natalia.castejon @ univ-pau.fr (natalia.castejon @ univ-pau.fr)

Master student
Nature-inspired design

Currently studying Nature-Inspired Design at the Ecole Normale Supérieur de Création Industrielle (ENSCI-Les Ateliers), Jean-Romain is focusing his research in applying bio-inspiration and biomaterials on product design to aim the preservation and regeneration of ecosystems.

Passionate about the challenges on sustainability, Jean-Romain is leading a prospective design project to assess and value how marine biomaterials developed by MANTA could transform and drive the respective industrial sectors towards more sustainability in the future.

Master Student - Chemistry
Green extraction of valuable molecules from red algae

Currently completing the second year of his Master's degree in green chemistry at the University of Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, Maxime is carrying out his MSc final project on the development of new approaches for the valorisation of red algae using green technologies.

He wants to get involved in the concept of sustainable development and use his current knowledge in green chemistry for the development of biomimetic applications.

Master student - Chemistry

Materials Engineering

Unnimaya is currently involved in her second year of Master’s degree, specializing in Materials Science and Engineering (M2 IMECA) at the University of Pau and the Pays de l'Adour (UPPA). Before joining UPPA, she graduated from Mahatma Gandhi University (Priyadarshini Hills, India), in the field of Polymer Chemistry. She performed a Master project on the synthesis of nano-composites made from XNBR and natural Fuller’s Earth clay, at the Indian Institute of Technology (Patna, India) during the academic year 2020.

Passionate about Polymer chemistry, she wants to pursue with a PhD and participate in the development of research in Natural Materials/Polymers.