Get the Ph.D from University of Lisbon in cooperation with University of Sheffield, UK (1994) in Biochemistry, Francisco Gírio (FG) is the Head of Bioenergy Unit since 2009 (staff of 44 persons, being 29 PhD holders). He did participated as researcher in 31 research projects (being coordinator of 11), supervised 5 PhD thesis, referee of a dozen of scientific journals, current member of evaluation panels of R&D projects for ANI, Ibero-american Cyted Program, and previous evaluator for several european research councils. He did coordinate a thematic iberoamerican network of Cyted program (310RT0397; www.siadeb.org) on biorefineries from biomass (2010-2013) and acted as coordinator of the European Proethanol2G (7th FWP project), 2010-2014. Member of Management Board Team of EERA-Bioenergy Joint Program (www.eera-bioenergy.eu) since 2010. Full Member of the Scientific Council of IMDEA Energy (Spain) (www.energy.imdea.org) since 2013.

Former Invited Professor at Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Metabolic Engineering, 1997-2007 and Invited Professor of University of Evora (Master of Analytical Chemistry, field of Biotechnology), 1995-1998 and 2000-2004.

Between 2010-2015, he was the national representative at the European Industrial Initiative (EIBI) on Bioenergy for the EC SET PLAN and the national representative on the EC Committee on the Sustainability of Biofuels and Bioliquids. He did coordinate the Portuguese National Authority for Monitoring the Compliance of Sustainability Criteria for biofuels and bioliquids between 2011 and 2015. He did publish more than 80 research peer-review papers; 5 book chapters; 6 patents; 8 popular papers; >  50 oral talks in Symposiums and Workshops; >200 posters in International Conferences.