Student wins international innovation award

Sara Moura, 4th year student of the BiotechHealth doctoral program, carrying out research in the i3S group “Tumor and Microenvironment Interactions”, won the “BEST Young Researcher & Innovator's STSM” award, which distinguishes the best collaborative work within the COST Action network GEMSTONE.

The award-winning work was carried out under the guidance of Maria Inês Almeida, professor and assistant researcher at ICBAS and i3S, Mário Barbosa (Professor emeritus at the University of Porto) and Kent Søe, professor at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU). The project aims to identify new molecules that regulate osteoclasts, a type of cell present in bone tissues. This strategy paves the way for personalized RNA-based therapies, aiming to prevent and treat diseases such as metastases or bone diseases.

This award was created in memory of researcher Evangelos Evangelou¸ who recently passed away and was a member of the COST Action Gemstone. This scientist stood out in the fields of Science and Innovation and contributed in a very significant way to the genetic and molecular epidemiology of bone diseases.

For Sara Moura, this award represents “recognition and validation of the work” that she has developed. Furthermore, she adds, “this visibility can open doors to new opportunities and possible collaborations, crucial for my progression in my scientific career”. The doctoral student’s objective is to continue working in the field of biotechnology and biomedicine and contribute in some way to improving the quality of life of people who suffer daily from this type of disease.