Paulo J. G. Bettencout, PhD is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP). His work focusses on fundamental microbiology and immunology, how pathogens interact with the immune system, translational vaccine design, and the discovery of novel antigens for vaccine development against diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria. Through immunopeptidomics, Dr. Bettencourt has identified multiple antigens, which are currently being evaluated as vaccine candidates against tuberculosis and malaria.

Dr. Bettencourt graduated in Biotechnology from ISHT, Lisbon, Portugal, MSc in Immunology and Immunogenetics at the University of Manchester, UK, PhD in Pharmacy at the University of Lisbon, and completed postdoctoral research in Vaccinology at the Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, UK, where he worked with Prof. Sir Adrian V. S. Hill and Prof. Helen McShane. At the UCP, Dr. Bettencourt is a co-founder of the Católica Medical School (CMS), the Director of the Research and Teaching Laboratories, coordinator of the CatólicaMed Research Platform at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research (CIIS-UCP). He also serves as Biobank Scientific Coordinator, and Program Coordinator the Master of Science in Immunology and Vaccinology at CMS.

Dr. Bettencourt is the author of 36 peer-reviewed publications, six book chapters, and a book on tuberculosis vaccines. He serves as editor for two scientific journals, as a reviewer for over 30 journals, and grant reviewer for national and international funding agencies.