Alexandra Eduarda Amador de Oliveira Francisco completed her PhD in Veterinary Sciences, Animal Production Speciality in 2016/05/09 by the Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária and her Graduation in Biology Applied to Terrestrial Animal Resources in 2004/10/27 by the Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências (5 years degree). Actually she is Auxiliar Researcher at Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária - Pólo de Santarém.. Her work has been developed in the area of Animal Science and Ruminants production. Her research interests are mainly focused on the study of rumen metabolism and on the rumen microbiota, especialy the rumen ciliate protozoa community but also the importance of animal welfare to the sustainability of animal production and products quality. Specific interests and research topics are: - Exploration of the role of the rumen microbiota communities, specially the rumen protozoa, on host phenotypes (as on rumen biohydrogenation and nutritional quality of ruminant products; on entheric methanogenesis and on host health and welfare); - Nutritional manipulation of the lipid metabolism of ruminants in order to improve the nutritional quality of the final products (meat and milk), enriching them in bioactive fatty acids with beneficial effects on human health; - Exploration of sustainable stategies to reduce entheric methanogenesis and methane emissions by ruminants; - Exploration of the effects of the nutritional strategies used to improve the lipid profile of ruminant product and to reduce methane emissions by ruminant on the rumen ciliate protozoa community ; - Development of nutritional strategies that simultaneously reduce methane emissions by ruminants and may improve the lipid profile of the meat and milk produced without negative effects to animal health, welfare or performance; - Exploration of the host genetic/breed influence on rumen microbiota communities that impact host phenotypes. Influence of rumen microbiota communities on animal health and welfare and influence of animal welfare on rumen microbiota communities. Influence of animal welfare on ruminant-derived products quality and on environmental impact and sustainability of animal production. Globally, Alexandra have published 37 articles in different journals. From those, 27 are research articles published in Q1 indexed international scientific journals and 10 articles in technical magazines . She is also co-author of a book chapter, co-editor of a technical book and co-author of 1 patent. She also has 49 published conference abstracts , presented 27 posters in international and national scientific conferences and performed 15 oral presentations.