Carlos Serpa

Carlos Serpa, born in Lisbon in 1970, is presently Assistant Professor at the Department of Chemistry of the University of Coimbra (Portugal). After completion of his studies at the University of Coimbra (BSc Chemistry, 1995; MSc Physical Chemistry, 2000; PhD Photochemistry, 2004) Carlos Serpa took a one year post-doc research position in the field of Bioinorganic Chemistry at Caltech (USA), under Harry B. Gray. He was then one among the first researchers to earn a post-doctoral research position for the national scientific and technological system (Ciência 2007 Starting Grant) and then to earn an Investigator FCT Developing Grant, which together adds to ten years as a self-paid Researcher at the Coimbra Chemistry Centre. His scientific interests cover a wide range of fundamental and applied research within the field of interactions between Light and Materials. Present research interests are focused in Piezophotonic Materials, Materials Chemistry for Energy and Health applications and Protein Folding and Aggregation. Carlos Serpa is co-author of over fifty papers in international peer reviewed journals, over 165 conference proceedings, three book chapters, and one family of patents, granted in 35 countries, licensed to a start-up company that emerged from his research. Carlos Serpa has been Principal Investigator of R&D projects focused on piezophotonic materials and their applications in health sciences, and on nanostructured materials for application in renewable energies. In 2008 he was distinguished with the BES Innovation prize. In 2010 he received the prize of the Agency for the Valuation and Commercialization of Research Results of the Red Universitaria Ibero-americana de Incubación de Empresas (RedEmprendia/Santander). In 2012 his presentation at the SPIE Photonics West Biophotonics Startup Challenge earned him the first prize of the start-up pitch presentation. In 2016 he was in the team that received the Associação de Laserterapia e Tecnologias Afins Prize (ALTEC), for the introduction in the market of the first piezophotonic materials. For many years Carlos Serpa contributes in teaching activities at graduate and post-graduate programs at the University of Coimbra, as well as in students’ supervision, with 1 PhD, 15 MSc and 31 Graduation BSc supervisions concluded. He has been sub-Director of the Coimbra Chemistry Centre (2012-2013). Presently Carlos Serpa serves as Managing Director of the Coimbra Laser Lab, member of the inter-disciplinary network of European national laser infrastructures, Laserlab Europe. Carlos Serpa was one of the founders of the technological spin-off company LaserLeap Technologies SA, and between September 2013 and July 2017 and again from October 2020 serves as CEO of this company.