Macau University of Science and Technology | Macau
Marta Filipa Simões is an internationally recognized researcher in microbiology, mycology, astrobiology, and planetary protection, with strong interdisciplinary expertise spanning environmental microbiology, filamentous fungi, astromycology, and microgravity research. She has authored 29+ peer-reviewed scientific documents, accumulating 1,338 total citations (884 since 2021), with an h-index of 20 and an i10-index of 29, reflecting sustained global research impact. Her academic training and professional experience are rooted in life sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, and environmental biotechnology, with appointments and collaborations across leading international institutions and space-science programs. Her research focuses on extremophiles, fungal biodiversity, microbial survival in space and extreme environments, biogenic metal nanoparticles, antimicrobial resistance, and microbial applications in sustainability and planetary habitability models. She has contributed to highly cited works in journals such as Gene, AMB Express, Astrobiology, Life, and Environmental Chemistry Letters, and has played a significant role in advancing microbial astrobiology and planetary protection frameworks. Her scholarly excellence is supported by international collaborations, funded research initiatives, and contributions to quality management systems in microbial collections. Overall, her work bridges Earth and space microbiology, delivering high-impact science with relevance to health, sustainability, and space exploration.
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Featured Publications
Rhizosphere microbiome metagenomics of gray mangroves (Avicennia marina) in the Red Sea
H. Alzubaidy, M. Essack, T. B. Malas, A. Bokhari, O. Motwalli, F. K. Kamanu, et al.,Gene, 576(2), 626–636, 2016. (189 Citations)
Screening of filamentous fungi for antimicrobial silver nanoparticles synthesis
C. A. Ottoni, M. F. Simões, S. Fernandes, J. G. Santos, E. S. Silva, R. F. B. Souza, et al.,AMB Express, 7(1), 31, 2017. (180 Citations)
Soil and rhizosphere associated fungi in gray mangroves (Avicennia marina) from the Red Sea — A metagenomic approach
M. F. Simões, A. Antunes, C. A. Ottoni, M. S. Amini, I. Alam, H. Alzubaidy, et al.,Genomics, Proteomics & Bioinformatics, 13(5), 310–320, 2015. (107 Citations)