




About the project
The goal of MAHINE is to improve health outcomes in Angola through better training for nutrition professionals, more connections between nutritionists and the community, and a nutrition-sensitive approach to agriculture.
Members
Iñaki Elío
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Virgínia Kambani Sumbo
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PhD candidate in Nutrition, Master's degree in Nutrition, Bachelor's degree in Nutrition with Technical Training in Educational Sciences. Independent nutritionist, working with various age groups and university professor. Researcher of the Nutritional Status of Students since 2023. Member of the National Council of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technicians of Angola and the Angolan Association of Nutritionists. Finalist for the National Science and Innovation Award in the category of Woman Scientist in 2025 and is a candidate for the National Award for Women of Merit in the field of Education.
María Elena Castro Rodriguez
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María Elena Castro Rodriguez has a doctorate in pedagogical sciences from the University of Sancti Spiritus “José Martí Pérez”, Cuba, and a master 's degree in educational sciences from the same institution. She also has a degree in education. She is currently vice-rector for scientific affairs and postgraduate studies at the International University of Kwanza in Angola, Possui 32 anos de experiência docente. Desde 2000 é professora universitária de graduação e pós-graduação nas áreas de Ciências Sociais e Humanas, Ciências da Educação e Ciências da Comunicação e Ciências da Informação.
Dr. Sandra Sumalla Cano
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Dietitian-Nutritionist and Food Technologist with a PhD in Health and Nutrition Projects and postgraduate training in Applied Nutrition and Dietetics and in Physical Activity: Training and Sports Management. She is Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and academic director of undergraduate degrees in Food Science & Technology and Gastronomy at Universidad Europea del Atlántico, while also teaching and conducting research in health and nutrition, AI within international university networks.
Maurizio Battino
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Maurizio Battino
Graduated in Bologna, PhD in Biochemistry and postdoc in Nutrition in Granada, is a Full Professor of Food Science & Nutrition in the Faculty of Medicine at Polytechnic University of Marche, a Guest Professor at Jiangsu University, a Distinguished and Honorary Professor at the University of Vigo, and Director of the Nutrition and Health Research Center at the European Atlantic University (Santander). He holds an Honorary Doctorate from the Faculty of Medicine at Carol Davila University (Bucharest). He (co)authored over 500 articles in high-impact scientific journals (h-index = 109) and approximately 30 book chapters; Highly Cited Researchers according to Clarivate-Web of Science 2014-2024. He holds several patents on the beneficial properties of natural bioactive compounds. He is currently Editor-in-Chief or Associate Editor of journals published by Sage, Elsevier, Mdpi, Springer
Ruth Congregado Amado
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Scientific Communication in FUNIBER (Fundación Universitaria Iberoamericana), where she coordinates communication for international projects. She has contributed to initiatives which received top recognition in the European and African Triple E Awards. Additionally, she manages content and social media for MLS Journals, a FUNIBER-sponsored academic publication, facilitating communication with authors and promoting scientific research. Congregado's work focuses on enhancing the visibility and impact of educational and research initiatives, fostering international collaboration, and strengthening the dissemination of academic and scientific projects.
Francesca Giampieri
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PhD degree on “Food, Health and Drug”, specialized in Food Science. She is Assistant Professor in Clinical Nutrition at the Polytechnic University of Marche (Italy). She is the supervisor of more than 150 student thesis of the International Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics. She is the author of about 240 papers in international scientific journals. From 2019 to 2024, she has been named Thomson Reuters Highly Cited Researcher. She has extensive experience in field of chemistry, in the assessment of the nutritional and phytochemical composition of different foodstuffs, and in the field of biochemistry and nutrition, in the evaluation of the role of bioactive compounds from different dietary matrices on human health (especially berries and honey), and in particular on the biological mechanisms related to oxidative stress and inflammation, in different in vitro and in vivo experimental models.
Luca Mazzoni
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I have been a Researcher at UNIVPM since May 2020. I hold a Master's in Agricultural Sciences (2010) and a PhD in Food, Nutrition, and Health (2015) from Università Politecnica delle Marche (UNIVPM). My research at UNIVPM's D3A focuses on tree crop management and the enhancement of fruit quality. In particular, I have studied genetic, environmental, and agronomic effects on berries and stone fruits. I have been involved in the activities of many European and Italian research projects.
Dr. Thomas André Prola
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PhD in Education and society, anthropologist, project manager, Professor and Researcher in education and ICT, Education and Diversity/childhood in situations of social vulnerability.
Project Manager and Professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences of the European University of the Atlantic (UNEATLANTICO), in charge of European projects, where he works both in relation to project management as well as as Principal researcher. He is working in the development of new proposals related to Education and Technologies. Coordinator of European and National research projects, Local coordinator of Erasmus+ projects.
Milena Dávalos
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Milena Dávalos
Project manager, specialist in financial management of European Project and research management on a national, regional and international level. She currently works as financial manager in five Erasmus + Projects, focused on educational technologies for the improvement of the European education system. She has experience on auditories for organizations, companies and research projects, and she is interested in the development of a pan-European collaboration between European educational institutions and Asian institutions. Languages: Spanish (native), Catalán, English, German and Korean.
Herculano Salvador João
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Herculano Salvador João
Veterinarian. Director of the Undergraduate Polytechnic Institute (IP-UJES) Specialist in Higher Education management. Post doctorate in Veterinary sciences, by
Universidade de Amizade entre os povos Russia- Mscovo and PhD in Veterinary sanitation ecology, zoohygiene, veterinary and sanitary expertise, veterinary microbiology) Mascow University.
Kilian Tutusaus
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Kilian Tutusaus
multidisciplinary researcher and project leader with a PhD in Project Engineering (environment, safety, quality and communication), an MSc in Environmental Engineering, and a degree in Marine Sciences. He is a full-time Research Lecturer at the Universidad Europea del Atlántico, where he leads and manages competitive R&D&I projects. His work focuses on educational technologies, data modeling and applied artificial intelligence, including the design and implementation of digital learning applications and virtual assistants. He has coordinated or directed multiple funded projects, authored high-impact indexed publications, and holds a recognized Research Six-Year Term (CNEAI–ANECA).
Marino Leopoldo Manuel Sungo
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Marino Leopoldo Manuel Sungo is a doctoral candidate in Social Sciences, specializing in Social Anthropology, at the Faculty of Social Sciences of Agostinho Neto University. He is a specialist in Higher Education Management.
He currently serves as Deputy Director for Scientific Affairs and Graduate Studies at the Polytechnic Institute of José Eduardo dos Santos University, where he also teaches and coordinates the local management of academic and scientific projects, such as CLINICALSIM, MAHINE, and UNI.AO, all funded by the European Union. He is also Deputy Coordinator of advanced training programs, namely the Master’s in Obstetric and Neonatal Nursing and the Specialization in New Technologies Applied to Health. He is noted for his leadership skills, academic management, and involvement in innovation initiatives in teaching and research.