Phytotechnology

Prof. Dr W. P. Oliveira is a Senior Associate Professor at the University of Sao Paulo/USP. Dr Oliveira received his PhD from the Federal University of Sao Carlos/UFSCar, working with Spouted Bed Drying of Pastelike Materials (1996), and held a post-doctorate in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of British Columbia/UBC (2006 - 2007), working with Monitoring of Fluid-Particle Systems by Acoustic and Pressure Fluctuation Signals. He is the founder and coordinator of LAPROFAR's group (https://sites.usp.br/laprofar), dedicated to developing basic and applied research in pharmaceutical and phytopharmaceutical processes. Recent projects include drying, coating, agglomeration and microencapsulation of pharmaceuticals, volatile oils and plant extracts; drying and immobilisation of enzymes/proteins. Currently, his research projects have been directed to the study of micro and nanoencapsulation of active phytopharmaceutical ingredients in lipid-based nanosystems, aiming to improve their physicochemical properties, bioavailability and biological activity. His research has been continuously supported by grants from the Sao Paulo State Research Foundation (FAPESP), the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), and the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), in the form of research funds, infrastructure provision, multiuser equipment grants, and students and research fellowships. He has extensive experience as an advisor of undergraduate, master's, and PhD students, post-doctoral scholars, and industry personnel. He published more than 200 full papers (various in collaboration with groups from Canada, United States, Chile and Portugal), 103 in refereed journals and proceedings, ten book chapters (5 international), 1 Brazilian patent and others 5 pending. Moreover, he has worked as a scientific advisor of national and international funding agencies and journals, organise workshops and conferences, and is a member of the Bioencapsulation Research Group (http://bioencapsulation.net).