Venue

The symposium will be held at i3S – Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde.
Rua Alfredo Allen, 208; 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
Tel: +351 226 074 900 | E-mail: events@i3s.up.pt
GPS coordinates: 41º 10’ 30.008’’ N, 8º 36’ 12.488’’ W.

Organization

Organizing Committee
Ana Moutinho
Cui Minghui
Joana Coelho
Samantha Costa

Program

08:45 - 09:15 Registration

09:15 - 09:30 Opening Session
Manuel Vilanova, Director of the Doctoral Program in Molecular and Cellular Biotechnology Applied to Health Sciences (BiotechHealth)

09:30 - 11:00 | Session A – The Future of Regenerative Medicine

09:30 - 10:00 Recreating tendon anisotropic structure and biomechanical environment using magnetic actuation and 3D Bioprinting
Manuela Gomes, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Portugal

10:00 - 10:30 Tackling the vascularization problem in Tissue Engineering
Rogério Pirraco, 3B’s Research Group, University of Minho, Portugal

10:30 - 11:00 Bridging Basic Science and Bioengineering to Advance Heart Regeneration
Diana Nascimento, Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, Portugal

11:00 - 11:30 Coffee break

11:30 - 13:00 | Session B – Biotechnology meets Nanotechnology

11:30 - 12:00 Modulating amyloid-β aggregation using natural compounds and surface-engineered nanoparticles capable of crossing the blood–brain barrier
Joana Loureiro, Faculty of Engineering (FEUP), University of Porto, Portugal

12:00 - 12:30 Small Channels, Big Impact: The Power of Microfluidics in Biology
Miguel Xavier, International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), Portugal

12:30 - 13:00 Nanoactuators for Therapy and Diagnosis
Jesús M. de la Fuente, Institute of Materials Science of Aragon (ICMA-CSIC), Spain

13:00 - 14:30 Lunch time (not provided)

14:30 - 16:00 | Session C – Biotechnology in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

14:30 - 15:00 Artificial Intelligence approaches to uncover relevant phenotypes for biomedical and biotechnological applications
Miguel Rocha, University of Minho, Portugal

15:00 - 15:30 Text Processing for Contextual Intelligence in Biomedicine
Francisco Couto, Faculty of Sciences (FCUL), University of Lisbon, Portugal

15:30 - 16:00 Towards trustworthy AI: federated learning and explainable AI approaches
Valentina Corbetta, Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI), Netherlands

16:00 - 16:30 Coffee break

16:30 - 17:30 | Session D – Successful Stories

16:30 - 17:00 A day in the life of a Cell Therapy Safety Specialist
Joana Ferreira, AstraZeneca, Sweden

17:00 - 17:30 Eternal Youth and Immune System
África González, University of Vigo, Spain

17:30 - 17:40 Closing Remarks
Manuel Vilanova, Director of the Doctoral Program in Molecular and Cellular Biotechnology Applied to Health Sciences (BiotechHealth)

Speakers

Manuela Gomes, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Portugal

Manuela E. Gomes is a leading expert in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. She obtained her first degree in Materials Engineering from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Porto in 1997, followed by an MSc and PhD from the University of Minho – School of Engineering, in collaboration with Rice University, USA.

Currently a Full Professor at Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Prof. Gomes is also a Principal Investigator of the Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Modelling group at the Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine (UMIB). Previously, she held several leadership roles at the University of Minho, including as the inaugural president of the i3Bs Research Institute. Her research focuses on developing biodegradable biomaterials and bioinks derived from natural-origin polymers, investigating stem cell sourcing and differentiation, and applying magnetic stimuli to promote tendon regeneration and address musculoskeletal diseases and trauma.

She has authored over 250 publications, 45 book chapters, holds 9 patents, and has more than 10,000 citations (h-index 55). Prof. Gomes has led multiple European and national projects and is Chair-Elect of TERMIS-EU (Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society) and Portuguese Ambassador for EORS (European Orthopaedic Research Society). Her groundbreaking work has earned her top honors, including the ERC Consolidator Grant (2017) and ERC Proof of Concept Project (2022).

Rogério Pirraco, 3B’s Research Group, University of Minho, Portugal

Rogério Pedro Lemos de Sousa Pirraco is a Senior Researcher and ERC Grantee at the 3B’s Research Group, University of Minho, where he leads cutting-edge work in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Applied Biology and a PhD in Tissue Engineering, Regenerative Medicine, and Stem Cells from the University of Minho. His academic training also includes one year of international research experience at Tokyo Women’s Medical University, Japan.

Dr. Pirraco’s research focuses on the use of cell sheet engineering, stem cells, and hypoxia-driven strategies for tissue regeneration, with a strong emphasis on vascularization—a critical component for the successful integration and functionality of engineered tissues. His work contributes to the advancement of regenerative strategies for complex tissue systems.

Throughout his career, he has published over 50 scientific works in peer-reviewed journals, books, and conference proceedings. He is actively engaged with the international scientific community, having served as Chair of the Student and Young Investigator Section of the European Chapter of the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS-EU) between 2010 and 2012. From 2012 to 2015, he also represented researchers at the Scientific Council of the School of Engineering at the University of Minho.

Dr. Pirraco’s contributions have been recognized with several awards, including the Outstanding Student Contribution Award (TERMIS-EU, 2007, London), the Crioestaminal Best Oral Communication Award (2012, Porto), and the Best Doctoral Thesis Award (School of Engineering, UMinho, 2012, Guimarães). He is frequently invited to review for international journals and funding agencies.

With a solid foundation in biological sciences and a multidisciplinary approach to tissue engineering, Dr. Pirraco continues to advance the frontiers of regenerative medicine.

Diana Nascimento, Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, Portugal

Diana S. Nascimento is a prominent researcher in cardiac regeneration and fibrosis modulation. She earned her PhD in Zoology from the University of Aberdeen, UK, in 2008, and has since developed extensive expertise in cardiovascular research, particularly in understanding the roles of stromal cells in myocardial repair.

Currently an Assistant Researcher at the Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS) and at the Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, Dr. Nascimento leads a multidisciplinary research team focused on developing innovative therapies for cardiovascular diseases. Her research investigates how the heart’s stromal compartment can be targeted to drive regeneration and reduce fibrotic damage in patients with heart failure.

Dr. Nascimento’s scientific contributions include 50 publications (47 papers and 3 book chapters), 3 patents, and 1 software tool, with over 2,600 citations and an h-index of 25. Her work has been published in high-impact journals such as Biomaterials, Nature Communications, PLOS Biology, Circulation Research, and Stem Cell Reports. In addition to her research, she is an Invited Assistant Professor at ICBAS, collaborating in undergraduate and postgraduate education since 2013.

Throughout her career, she has managed more than €5 million in research funding, established 3 industry partnerships, and supervised over 50 students and researchers, including postdocs, PhD candidates, and MSc students. She has been a frequent invited speaker at both national and international conferences and plays active roles in scientific review panels for agencies like the ERC and Marie Curie.

Dr. Nascimento is also a member of the governing board of the Portuguese Society for Stem Cells and Cellular Therapy (SPCE-TC) and part of the i3S Animal Welfare Body. Her work continues to contribute significantly to the development of regenerative strategies in cardiovascular medicine.

Joana Loureiro, Faculty of Engineering (FEUP), University of Porto, Portugal

Joana A. Loureiro is an expert in nanotechnology and drug delivery systems for neurological disorders. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Chemical Engineering, as well as in Pharmaceutical Sciences, and obtained her PhD in Chemical and Biological Engineering from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP) in 2013.

Currently an Assistant Professor at FEUP, Prof. Loureiro is also a senior researcher at the Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE). Her research focuses on the effects of fluorinated systems and peptides on amyloid-beta peptide aggregation, conformational studies of proteins and peptide self-assembled systems, and the design and development of inorganic and polymeric nanocarriers for pharmaceutical applications, with an emphasis on targeted drug delivery for the treatment of brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Prof. Loureiro is the co-founder of BNanoTech, a biotechnology start-up created to translate research innovations in nanomedicine into clinical solutions. BNanoTech was selected for an investment of €120,000 from XTX Ventures to support the development and validation of this technology.

Her work has contributed to advancing the understanding of protein misfolding and pathogenic biomarkers in neurodegenerative diseases, and she has participated in several national and international research projects in the field of nanomedicine and drug delivery.

Miguel Xavier, International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), Portugal

Miguel Xavier is a biomedical engineer and staff researcher at the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), where he works at the forefront of microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip technologies for cancer research. He obtained his Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Porto in 2012 and completed his PhD at the University of Southampton in 2018 as part of the prestigious MSCA ITN LAPASO project, a European consortium focused on advanced microfluidic tools for single-cell analysis.

His doctoral research focused on the development of label-free microfluidic tools for the enrichment and characterization of primary human bone marrow stem cells, resulting in several first-author publications and international recognition, including the Gold Medal for Engineering at the STEM for Britain competition (2017, UK Parliament). During this period, he built long-standing collaborations with leading experts in microfluidics and biomedical applications.

At INL, Dr. Xavier is part of the Medical Devices group, where his research explores the integration of microfluidic technologies with life sciences, including label-free cell sorting and organ-on-chip platforms for disease modeling. He is also the founder of the Microfluidics Hub at INL and currently manages both the tissue culture and microfluidics laboratories.

Miguel coordinates and contributes to several national and European projects, including the MSCA Individual Fellowship "GASTRIC" (2020) and the EIC Pathfinder "3DSecret" project (2022), where he leads efforts to isolate and grow circulating tumor cells from breast cancer patients to help identify metastasis-related biomarkers and therapeutic targets. His recent research was featured in the national science outreach program 90 Segundos de Ciência.

Committed to scientific training and communication, Dr. Xavier has supervised multiple MSc and PhD students and is a frequent invited lecturer at the University of Minho. He has authored 17 publications (9 as first author, 2 as last), a book chapter, and has contributed to projects that collectively raised close to €2 million in funding. His current h-index is 11.

Dr. Xavier’s professional ambition is to become an independent leader in microfluidics applied to biomedicine, focused on delivering innovative, translational solutions that directly impact patient care and quality of life.

Jesús M. de la Fuente, Institute of Materials Science of Aragon (ICMA-CSIC), Spain

Jesús Martínez de la Fuente is a renowned scientist in nanomaterials and biofunctionalization. He is currently a Permanent Researcher at the Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón (CSIC), where he leads the Biofunctionalization of Nanoparticles and Surfaces group. His research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of innovative nanomaterials for applications in biosensors, targeted drug delivery, and gene therapy by engineering next-generation nanoparticles for biomedical applications.

Prof. Martínez de la Fuente has authored over 250 publications with more than 14,000 citations (h-index 68) and holds 6 international patents. He has led major research projects, including an ERC Starting Grant and ERANET initiatives, and co-founded the spin-off Nanoimmunotech SL to bring nanomedicine innovations closer to clinical application. His outstanding contributions have earned him several honors, including the Aragón Investiga Prize (2010).

Miguel Rocha, University of Minho, Portugal

Miguel F. A. P. da Rocha is a prominent researcher in bioinformatics and systems biology, with extensive expertise in computational approaches applied to biological systems. He earned his PhD in Informatics from the University of Minho (UMinho) in 2004.

Currently an Associate Professor with Habilitation at the Department of Informatics, School of Engineering, UMinho, Prof. Rocha is also the Director of the MSc in Bioinformatics, a program he co-founded in 2007. He lectures on topics such as bioinformatics, machine learning, and data science. In parallel, he leads the Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Group at the Centre of Biological Engineering, composed of more than 15 researchers.

Prof. Rocha has played key roles in academic leadership, having served as Director of the Computer Science and Technology Centre (CCTC) from 2010 to 2013 and as an elected member of the Scientific Council of the School of Engineering since 2019. He is also a member of multiple steering committees related to bioinformatics education and research.

His research encompasses the development of computational tools and systems-level approaches to analyze biological data, including omics data integration and machine learning for systems biology applications. He has been Principal Investigator of 9 funded research projects, and actively contributed to around 20 others.

Prof. Rocha has authored over 240 publications in international peer-reviewed journals and conferences. He has supervised 18 PhD theses (with 10 ongoing) and over 80 MSc theses, highlighting his strong commitment to mentoring the next generation of researchers.

He currently serves as President of the Board of BIP4DAB (BioData.pt), the Portuguese node of ELIXIR, and represents Portugal on the ELIXIR Board, where he contributes to shaping the European infrastructure for biological data.

Francisco Couto, Faculty of Sciences (FCUL), University of Lisbon, Portugal

Francisco M. Couto is currently an associate professor with habilitation at the Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon (FCUL), and a researcher at LASIGE (Laboratório de Sistemas Informáticos de Grande Escala). He graduated in Informatics and Computer Engineering in 2000 and obtained his Master's degree in 2001 from Instituto Superior Técnico (IST). He concluded his first PhD in Informatics, specializing in Bioinformatics, from the University of Lisbon in 2006. Prof. Couto later earned a second PhD in Biology, specializing in Computational Biology.

His research focuses on bioinformatics, knowledge management, and information retrieval, with significant contributions to semantic similarity, ontology matching, relation extraction, and named entity recognition in biomedical applications. Prof. Couto has developed key tools such as K-RET, a tool that enhances the integration of biomedical data with large language models, and NILINKER, which ensures more accurate linking of biomedical terms in research.

Prof. Couto has published over 67 journal papers, 2 books, and 33 conference papers, with more than 6,700 citations (h-index 39). His work has been recognized with awards such as the Young Engineer Innovation Prize and the Caixa Geral de Depósitos Scientific Prize. Additionally, his research has had real-world applications, with a recent achievement of 7th place in the NASA LitCoin NLP Challenge.

Valentina Corbetta, Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI), Netherlands

Valentina Corbetta is currently a PhD researcher in Artificial Intelligence for medical imaging at the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI). She holds a Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering and a Master’s degree in Bioinformation Engineering from Politecnico di Milano.

Her doctoral research focuses on developing robust and generalisable deep learning models for oncological image analysis, with particular emphasis on federated learning and representation learning. These techniques aim to improve the reliability of AI systems across multi-centre clinical data, addressing key challenges related to data heterogeneity and privacy in medical research.

Before joining NKI in 2022, Valentina worked as a researcher at NearLab, Politecnico di Milano, where she explored applications of reinforcement learning in surgical robotics. She also contributed to the development of AI and virtual reality solutions for surgical planning at the tech startup Witapp, bridging engineering and clinical innovation.

Combining expertise in biomedicine, bioinformatics, and machine learning, Valentina brings an interdisciplinary perspective to her research, aiming to translate AI advancements into real-world healthcare improvements.

Joana Ferreira, AstraZeneca, Sweden

Joana Ferreira is a senior scientist specializing in cell therapy safety at AstraZeneca. She holds an MSc in Bioengineering – Molecular Biotechnology from the Faculty of Engineering and the Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (FEUP/ICBAS), University of Porto, and earned her PhD through the BiotechHealth Doctoral Programme (ICBAS/FFUP), where she developed her research within the MiNT (Microenvironments for New Therapies) group at i3S.

Her research has focused on the regenerative potential of the mesenchymal stem cell secretome, particularly in the context of degenerative intervertebral disc disease. At AstraZeneca, she now works on evaluating and mitigating safety concerns for novel cell therapy products, developing and validating preclinical in vitro assays to assess therapeutic risk and ensure clinical safety

Joana has co-authored publications in high-impact journals such as Acta Biomaterialia, delivered oral presentations at prestigious international conferences including EuroSpine and TERMIS, and received recognition for her work at national symposia.

She is also an advocate for science communication, with a deep interest in making complex biomedical research accessible and engaging. Joana brings to the field a strong interdisciplinary foundation and a commitment to advancing the safe application of regenerative therapies in clinical settings.

África González, University of Vigo, Spain

África González is currently a Full Professor of Immunology at the University of Vigo and former Director of the Biomedical Research Centre (CINBIO). She graduated in Medicine from the University of Alcalá in 1986 and completed her Immunology residency training (MIR) at Puerta de Hierro Hospital in Madrid, concluding in 1991. She defended her PhD at the University of Alcalá in May 1991. Prof. González then undertook a postdoctoral fellowship at the Molecular Biology Centre (MRC) in Cambridge, UK, under Dr. César Milstein, Nobel Laureate for the co-development of monoclonal antibody techniques.

In 1996, she joined the University of Vigo, founding the first Immunology Area in Galicia. From 2009 to 2019, she directed CINBIO, a Singular Research Centre in Galicia.

Prof. González is also the co-founder of NanoImmunoTech, a spin-off company specializing in nanoparticles for biosensing applications. Her work has earned her the Viguesa Distinguida Award (2023) and the ICCT Medal of Distinguished Honor (2023).

With over 150 scientific publications and 4 patents, Prof. González’s research focuses on nanomaterials and their interactions with the immune system, nanovaccines, and immunotherapies for cancer. She also served as President of the Spanish Society for Immunology from 2016 to 2020.