Adriano Bordalo e Sá
Full Professor of Ecology, Microbial Ecology, Tropical Health, ICBAS, University of Porto
Bio 

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

Full professor with over 43years of experience dedicated to the surveillance, diagnosis, and mitigation of environmental health threatsin temperate and tropical environments. An advocate and practitioner of the One Health approach, integrating expertise in water quality, includingmicrobiology andpublic health,to understand and address the interconnectedness of human, animal, and ecosystem health. Combines rigorous academic research with a strong commitment to community engagement and science communication.

CAREER HISTORY & ONE HEALTH LEADERSHIP

Present | Full Professor of Ecology, Microbial Ecology,Tropical Health | ICBAS, University of Porto, Portugal

  • Leads the One Health Office, fostering collaboration betweenecologists, veterinarians, and medical doctors.
  • Principal Investigator (PI) on projects assessing antibiotic resistance dissemination in aquatic environments at the human-animal-environment interfaceandon cholera dynamics in Africa.
  • Population Studies Department Director | ICBAS, University of Porto, Portugal
  • Advisor on EU Bathing Water Directive compliance, bridging regulatory science with public health outcomes.

KEY ONE HEALTH RESEARCH INTERESTS & EXPERTISE

  • Integrated Pathogen Surveillance: Tracking fecal indicator bacteria, viruses, and antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) genes in watersheds impacted by urban, agricultural, and wildlife inputs.
  • Shellfish Safety & Zoonotic Risk: Investigating contamination in bivalve mollusks (a critical food chain link between environment and human health) and its implications for gastroenteritis.
  • Climate Change & Waterborne Diseases: Studying how extreme weather events (floods, droughts) influence pathogen dynamics and human exposure risks.
  • Diagnostic Tool Development: Creating rapid, culture-independent methods for pathogen detection in water, animals, and food matrices.
  • Science-Policy Interface: Translating environmental microbiology data into actionable guidance for water safety management, protecting human and animal populations.

SELECTED ONE HEALTH-FOCUSED PUBLICATIONS (from >130 peer-reviewed articles)

  1. Bordalo, A.A., et al. (2023). Antibiotic Resistance Genes in an Urban River: A One Health Perspective from Source to Estuary. Science of the Total Environment.
  2. Bordalo, A.A., & Savva-Bordalo, J. (2021). The One Health Lens: A Missing Link in Coastal Recreational Water Quality Monitoring. Journal of Environmental Management.
  3. Bordalo, A.A. (2018). Microbial Contamination of Shellfish: A Two-Decade Perspective from a One Health Viewpoint. Book Chapter in Shellfish Safety and Quality.
  4. Bordalo, A.A., et al. (2015). Fecal Pollution in Waters: Linking Sources to Human Health Risks in a Multi-Use Coastal Environment. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science.