Cristina Martins
BioEngineered Surfaces
Group leader
M Cristina L Martins is an expert in the development of biomaterial coatings designed at the nanoscale using self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and biomedical polymers. She got her PhD in Engineering Sciences at Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP) in 2003. Her PhD studies were performed at INEB (Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica) and UWEB (University of Washington Engineered Biomaterials, Seattle, Washington, USA).
She is Principal Investigator of i3S and Invited Assistant Professor at Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS) of the University of Porto.
She is Fellow of Biomaterials Science and Engineering (FBSE) by the International Union of Biomaterials Science and Engineering Societies (IUSBSE) since 2020.
Her group is investigating the effect of surface immobilized ligands (proteins/peptides; fatty acids like and glycosylated compounds) in the guiding of specific protein/cell binding to control bacterial adhesion (e.g., for gastric infection or osteomyelitis prevention) and/or thrombus formation. Full CV available here
Selected Publications
Costa B., Coelho J., Silva V., Shahrour H., Costa N.A., Ribeiro A.R., Santos S.G., Costa F., Martínez-de-Tejada G., Monteiro C., Martins M.C.L.
Dhvar5- and MSI78-coated titanium are bactericidal against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, immunomodulatory and osteogenic. Acta Biomaterialia191:98-112, 2025. [Journal: Article] [CI: 9] [IF: 9.6 (*)]
DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2024.11.016 SCOPUS: 85209664352
Jourdainne N., Mercier D., Costa B., Campos F., Monteiro C., Costa N., Martins M.C.L., Thébault P.
Hybrid structure combining essential oil derivatives and polydopamine for anti-bacterial coatings. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces252:, 2025. [Journal: Article] [CI: 2] [IF: 5.6 (*)]
DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2025.114679 SCOPUS: 105002035260
Fonseca D.R., Alves P.M., Neto E., Custódio B., Guimarães S., Moura D., Annis F., Martins M., Gomes A., Teixeira C., Gomes P., Pereira R.F., Freitas P., Parreira P., Martins M.C.L.
One-Pot Microfluidics to Engineer Chitosan Nanoparticles Conjugated with Antimicrobial Peptides Using “Photoclick” Chemistry: Validation Using the Gastric Bacterium Helicobacter pylori. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces16(12):14533-14547, 2024. [Journal: Article] [CI: 7] [IF: 8.2]
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c18772 SCOPUS: 85187652527
Alves P.M., Fonseca D.R., Bidarra S.J., Gomes A., Gomes P., Barrias C.C., Martins M.C.L.
Norbornene-chitosan nanoparticles with and without a conjugated VEGF-peptide analog to promote vascularization. Materials Today Chemistry36:, 2024. [Journal: Article] [CI: 4] [IF: 7,3 (*)]
DOI: 10.1016/j.mtchem.2024.101942 SCOPUS: 85184149781
Seabra C.L., Pinho A.S., Nunes C., Amorim I., Pedro N., Henriques P., Monteiro C., Gomes J., Machado C., Gartner F., Pereira L., Reis S., Reis C.A., Touati E., Gonçalves I.C., Parreira P., Martins M.C.L.
Paving the way for a non-antibiotic and microbiota friendly therapy for Helicobacter pylori: In vitro and in vivo performance of lipid nanoparticles. Helicobacter29(1):, 2024. [Journal: Article] [CI: 1] [IF: 4.3]
DOI: 10.1111/hel.13050 SCOPUS: 85182844513
Fonseca D.R., Moura A., Leiro V., Silva-Carvalho R., Estevinho B.N., Seabra C.L., Henriques P.C., Lucena M., Teixeira C., Gomes P., Parreira P., Martins M.C.L.
Grafting MSI-78A onto chitosan microspheres enhances its antimicrobial activity. Acta Biomaterialia137:186-198, 2022. [Journal: Article] [CI: 24] [IF: 9,7]
DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.09.063 SCOPUS: 85118721492
Redondo-Gómez C., Parreira P., Martins M.C.L., Azevedo H.S.
Peptide-based self-assembled monolayers (SAMs): what peptides can do for SAMs and vice versa. Chemical Society Reviews53(8):3714-3773, 2024. [Journal: Review] [CI: 31] [IF: 39]
DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00921a SCOPUS: 85187679238
Fonseca D.R., Chitas R., Parreira P., Martins M.C.L.
How to manage Helicobacter pylori infection beyond antibiotics: The bioengineering quest. Applied Materials Today37:, 2024. [Journal: Review] [CI: 10] [IF: 8,3 (*)]
DOI: 10.1016/j.apmt.2024.102123 SCOPUS: 85185511905
Alves P.M., Barrias C.C., Gomes P., Martins M.C.L.
How can biomaterial-conjugated antimicrobial peptides fight bacteria and be protected from degradation?. Acta Biomaterialia181:98-116, 2024. [Journal: Review] [CI: 11] [IF: 9.6]
DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2024.04.043 SCOPUS: 85192685915
Pinho A.S., Seabra C.L., Nunes C., Reis S., L. Martins M.C., Parreira P.
Helicobacter pylori biofilms are disrupted by nanostructured lipid carriers: A path to eradication?. Journal of Controlled Release348:489-498, 2022. [Journal: Article] [CI: 21] [IF: 10,8]
DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.05.050 SCOPUS: 85132423536
Alves P.M., Pereira R.F., Costa B., Tassi N., Teixeira C., Leiro V., Monteiro C., Gomes P., Costa F., Martins M.C.L.
Thiol-Norbornene Photoclick Chemistry for Grafting Antimicrobial Peptides onto Chitosan to Create Antibacterial Biomaterials. ACS Applied Polymer Materials4(7):5012-5026, 2022. [Journal: Article] [CI: 18] [IF: 5]
DOI: 10.1021/acsapm.2c00563 SCOPUS: 85135691768
Chitas R., Nunes C., Reis S., Parreira P., Martins M.C.L.
How Charge, Size and Protein Corona Modulate the Specific Activity of Nanostructured Lipid Carriers (NLC) against Helicobacter pylori. Pharmaceutics14(12):, 2022. [Journal: Article] [CI: 10] [IF: 5,4]
DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14122745 SCOPUS: 85144862441
Ramôa A.M., Campos F., Moreira L., Teixeira C., Leiro V., Gomes P., das Neves J., Martins M.C.L., Monteiro C.
Antimicrobial peptide-grafted PLGA-PEG nanoparticles to fight bacterial wound infections. Biomaterials Science11(2):499-508, 2022. [Journal: Article] [CI: 21] [IF: 6,6]
DOI: 10.1039/d2bm01127a SCOPUS: 85144032387
Matinha-Cardoso J., Mota R., Gomes L.C., Gomes M., Mergulhão F.J., Tamagnini P., Martins M.C.L., Costa F.
Surface activation of medical grade polyurethane for the covalent immobilization of an anti-adhesive biopolymeric coating. Journal of Materials Chemistry B9(17):3705-3715, 2021. [Journal: Article] [CI: 9] [IF: 7,6]
DOI: 10.1039/d1tb00278c SCOPUS: 85105524958
Parreira P., Monteiro C., Graça V., Gomes J., Maia S., Gomes P., Gonçalves I.C., Martins M.C.L.
Surface Grafted MSI-78A Antimicrobial Peptide has High Potential for Gastric Infection Management. Scientific Reports9(1):, 2019. [Journal: Article] [CI: 23] [IF: 4]
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-53918-4 SCOPUS: 85075982293
Maitz M.F., Martins M.C.L., Grabow N., Matschegewski C., Huang N., Chaikof E.L., Barbosa M.A., Werner C., Sperling C.
The blood compatibility challenge. Part 4: Surface modification for hemocompatible materials: Passive and active approaches to guide blood-material interactions. Acta Biomaterialia94:33-43, 2019. [Journal: Review] [CI: 123] [IF: 7,2]
DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2019.06.019 SCOPUS: 85067887675
Chitas R., Fonseca D.R., Parreira P., Martins M.C.L.
Targeted nanotherapeutics for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection. Journal of Biomedical Science31(1):, 2024. [Journal: Review] [CI: 16] [IF: 12.1]
DOI: 10.1186/s12929-024-01068-9 SCOPUS: 85201222266
Huang Y., Li D., Wang D., Chen X., Ferreira L., Martins M.C.L., Wang Y., Jin Q., Wang D., Tang B.Z., Ji J.
A NIR-II emissive polymer AIEgen for imaging-guided photothermal elimination of bacterial infection. Biomaterials286:, 2022. [Journal: Article] [CI: 58] [IF: 14]
DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121579 SCOPUS: 85130475890
Mousavifar L., Parreira P., Taponard A., Graça V.C.D., Martins M.C.L., Roy R.
Validation of Selective Capture of Fimbriated Uropathogenic Escherichia coli by a Label-free Engineering Detection System Using Mannosylated Surfaces. ACS Applied Bio Materials5(12):5877-5886, 2022. [Journal: Article] [CI: 4] [IF: 4,7]
DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.2c00838 SCOPUS: 85143063099
Alves P.M., Barrias C.C., Gomes P., Martins M.C.L.
Smart biomaterial-based systems for intrinsic stimuli-responsive chronic wound management. Materials Today Chemistry22:, 2021. [Journal: Review] [CI: 40] [IF: 7,6]
DOI: 10.1016/j.mtchem.2021.100623 SCOPUS: 85118856398
Dhvar5- and MSI78-coated titanium are bactericidal against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, immunomodulatory and osteogenic. Acta Biomaterialia191:98-112, 2025. [Journal: Article] [CI: 9] [IF: 9.6 (*)]
DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2024.11.016 SCOPUS: 85209664352
Jourdainne N., Mercier D., Costa B., Campos F., Monteiro C., Costa N., Martins M.C.L., Thébault P.
Hybrid structure combining essential oil derivatives and polydopamine for anti-bacterial coatings. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces252:, 2025. [Journal: Article] [CI: 2] [IF: 5.6 (*)]
DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2025.114679 SCOPUS: 105002035260
Fonseca D.R., Alves P.M., Neto E., Custódio B., Guimarães S., Moura D., Annis F., Martins M., Gomes A., Teixeira C., Gomes P., Pereira R.F., Freitas P., Parreira P., Martins M.C.L.
One-Pot Microfluidics to Engineer Chitosan Nanoparticles Conjugated with Antimicrobial Peptides Using “Photoclick” Chemistry: Validation Using the Gastric Bacterium Helicobacter pylori. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces16(12):14533-14547, 2024. [Journal: Article] [CI: 7] [IF: 8.2]
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c18772 SCOPUS: 85187652527
Alves P.M., Fonseca D.R., Bidarra S.J., Gomes A., Gomes P., Barrias C.C., Martins M.C.L.
Norbornene-chitosan nanoparticles with and without a conjugated VEGF-peptide analog to promote vascularization. Materials Today Chemistry36:, 2024. [Journal: Article] [CI: 4] [IF: 7,3 (*)]
DOI: 10.1016/j.mtchem.2024.101942 SCOPUS: 85184149781
Seabra C.L., Pinho A.S., Nunes C., Amorim I., Pedro N., Henriques P., Monteiro C., Gomes J., Machado C., Gartner F., Pereira L., Reis S., Reis C.A., Touati E., Gonçalves I.C., Parreira P., Martins M.C.L.
Paving the way for a non-antibiotic and microbiota friendly therapy for Helicobacter pylori: In vitro and in vivo performance of lipid nanoparticles. Helicobacter29(1):, 2024. [Journal: Article] [CI: 1] [IF: 4.3]
DOI: 10.1111/hel.13050 SCOPUS: 85182844513
Fonseca D.R., Moura A., Leiro V., Silva-Carvalho R., Estevinho B.N., Seabra C.L., Henriques P.C., Lucena M., Teixeira C., Gomes P., Parreira P., Martins M.C.L.
Grafting MSI-78A onto chitosan microspheres enhances its antimicrobial activity. Acta Biomaterialia137:186-198, 2022. [Journal: Article] [CI: 24] [IF: 9,7]
DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.09.063 SCOPUS: 85118721492
Redondo-Gómez C., Parreira P., Martins M.C.L., Azevedo H.S.
Peptide-based self-assembled monolayers (SAMs): what peptides can do for SAMs and vice versa. Chemical Society Reviews53(8):3714-3773, 2024. [Journal: Review] [CI: 31] [IF: 39]
DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00921a SCOPUS: 85187679238
Fonseca D.R., Chitas R., Parreira P., Martins M.C.L.
How to manage Helicobacter pylori infection beyond antibiotics: The bioengineering quest. Applied Materials Today37:, 2024. [Journal: Review] [CI: 10] [IF: 8,3 (*)]
DOI: 10.1016/j.apmt.2024.102123 SCOPUS: 85185511905
Alves P.M., Barrias C.C., Gomes P., Martins M.C.L.
How can biomaterial-conjugated antimicrobial peptides fight bacteria and be protected from degradation?. Acta Biomaterialia181:98-116, 2024. [Journal: Review] [CI: 11] [IF: 9.6]
DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2024.04.043 SCOPUS: 85192685915
Pinho A.S., Seabra C.L., Nunes C., Reis S., L. Martins M.C., Parreira P.
Helicobacter pylori biofilms are disrupted by nanostructured lipid carriers: A path to eradication?. Journal of Controlled Release348:489-498, 2022. [Journal: Article] [CI: 21] [IF: 10,8]
DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.05.050 SCOPUS: 85132423536
Alves P.M., Pereira R.F., Costa B., Tassi N., Teixeira C., Leiro V., Monteiro C., Gomes P., Costa F., Martins M.C.L.
Thiol-Norbornene Photoclick Chemistry for Grafting Antimicrobial Peptides onto Chitosan to Create Antibacterial Biomaterials. ACS Applied Polymer Materials4(7):5012-5026, 2022. [Journal: Article] [CI: 18] [IF: 5]
DOI: 10.1021/acsapm.2c00563 SCOPUS: 85135691768
Chitas R., Nunes C., Reis S., Parreira P., Martins M.C.L.
How Charge, Size and Protein Corona Modulate the Specific Activity of Nanostructured Lipid Carriers (NLC) against Helicobacter pylori. Pharmaceutics14(12):, 2022. [Journal: Article] [CI: 10] [IF: 5,4]
DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14122745 SCOPUS: 85144862441
Ramôa A.M., Campos F., Moreira L., Teixeira C., Leiro V., Gomes P., das Neves J., Martins M.C.L., Monteiro C.
Antimicrobial peptide-grafted PLGA-PEG nanoparticles to fight bacterial wound infections. Biomaterials Science11(2):499-508, 2022. [Journal: Article] [CI: 21] [IF: 6,6]
DOI: 10.1039/d2bm01127a SCOPUS: 85144032387
Matinha-Cardoso J., Mota R., Gomes L.C., Gomes M., Mergulhão F.J., Tamagnini P., Martins M.C.L., Costa F.
Surface activation of medical grade polyurethane for the covalent immobilization of an anti-adhesive biopolymeric coating. Journal of Materials Chemistry B9(17):3705-3715, 2021. [Journal: Article] [CI: 9] [IF: 7,6]
DOI: 10.1039/d1tb00278c SCOPUS: 85105524958
Parreira P., Monteiro C., Graça V., Gomes J., Maia S., Gomes P., Gonçalves I.C., Martins M.C.L.
Surface Grafted MSI-78A Antimicrobial Peptide has High Potential for Gastric Infection Management. Scientific Reports9(1):, 2019. [Journal: Article] [CI: 23] [IF: 4]
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-53918-4 SCOPUS: 85075982293
Maitz M.F., Martins M.C.L., Grabow N., Matschegewski C., Huang N., Chaikof E.L., Barbosa M.A., Werner C., Sperling C.
The blood compatibility challenge. Part 4: Surface modification for hemocompatible materials: Passive and active approaches to guide blood-material interactions. Acta Biomaterialia94:33-43, 2019. [Journal: Review] [CI: 123] [IF: 7,2]
DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2019.06.019 SCOPUS: 85067887675
Chitas R., Fonseca D.R., Parreira P., Martins M.C.L.
Targeted nanotherapeutics for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection. Journal of Biomedical Science31(1):, 2024. [Journal: Review] [CI: 16] [IF: 12.1]
DOI: 10.1186/s12929-024-01068-9 SCOPUS: 85201222266
Huang Y., Li D., Wang D., Chen X., Ferreira L., Martins M.C.L., Wang Y., Jin Q., Wang D., Tang B.Z., Ji J.
A NIR-II emissive polymer AIEgen for imaging-guided photothermal elimination of bacterial infection. Biomaterials286:, 2022. [Journal: Article] [CI: 58] [IF: 14]
DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121579 SCOPUS: 85130475890
Mousavifar L., Parreira P., Taponard A., Graça V.C.D., Martins M.C.L., Roy R.
Validation of Selective Capture of Fimbriated Uropathogenic Escherichia coli by a Label-free Engineering Detection System Using Mannosylated Surfaces. ACS Applied Bio Materials5(12):5877-5886, 2022. [Journal: Article] [CI: 4] [IF: 4,7]
DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.2c00838 SCOPUS: 85143063099
Alves P.M., Barrias C.C., Gomes P., Martins M.C.L.
Smart biomaterial-based systems for intrinsic stimuli-responsive chronic wound management. Materials Today Chemistry22:, 2021. [Journal: Review] [CI: 40] [IF: 7,6]
DOI: 10.1016/j.mtchem.2021.100623 SCOPUS: 85118856398
