Ricardo João Cerdeira Veiga Leitão

Experiência

Ricardo Leitão is a PhD student in Biosciences, specializing in Ecology, at the Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE), University of Coimbra. With a multidisciplinary background as both a Biologist and a Pharmacist, they hold a Master’s degree in Ecology from the University of Coimbra and a Master’s degree in Organic Farming from the Agrarian School of Coimbra (ESAC-IPC). His professional trajectory spans diverse scientific environments, ranging from early research in estuarine ecology to real-world practice as a specialist in Hospital Pharmacy.

Framed by the One Health approach, his PhD focuses on soil multifunctionality and microbiome dynamics under contrasting land management. Parallel research uses metabarcoding to investigate the "microbiome continuum", soil, root, and earthworm gut interactions, and their influence on maize performance. In data science, he has published a meta-analysis on soil biota and is developing applications of Large Language Models (LLMs) for biological data mining.
Beyond his doctoral research, he has extensive experience in agroforestry and agroecology, developed during his Master’s in Organic Farming and through teaching activities and participation in scientific congresses. This work emphasizes the practical application of ecological principles to sustainable agriculture.

He is also expanding his technical expertise in advanced statistical methods for ecological data. Beyond laboratory research, Ricardo Leitão is actively involved in knowledge transfer, working directly with farmers and the agricultural community to translate ecological findings into sustainable land management practices.