Leonel Pereira holds a degree in Biology (scientific branch) and a PhD in Biology with a specialization in Cell Biology from the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Coimbra (Portugal), where he is currently Associate Professor with Habilitation. He is also an integrated researcher at the Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE – Science for People & Planet).

His scientific interests focus on Marine Biodiversity, particularly macroalgae, Marine Biotechnology with emphasis on bioactive compounds from algae, and Marine Ecology, especially environmental assessment of coastal and estuarine systems. Since 2008, he has been the author and editor of MACOI – Portuguese Seaweeds Website (http://www.flordeutopia.pt/macoi/), a widely used digital resource on the marine flora of Portugal.

He is the author/editor of more than 25 books and 91 book chapters, has published over 180 scientific articles in international peer‑reviewed journals. Throughout his career, he has delivered more than one hundred lectures and oral communications at national and international scientific events.

His contributions to marine science have been recognized with several distinctions, including the Francisco de Holanda Prize (Honorable Mention, 1998), the King D. Carlos Award (18th edition), and the CHOICE Award – Outstanding Academic Title 2016 for his book Edible Seaweeds of the World (CRC Press). He has also been included in the World’s Top 2% Scientists 2021-2025 list released by Stanford University and Elsevier, recognizing his global scientific impact and research excellence.