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Overview

The research group of biomaterials and stem cell-based therapeutics was created in January 2008 at CNC. The research group aims at generating fundamental and translational knowledge in the intersection of biomaterials with stem cells. The research group has two main avenues of research:


Disease modeling and drug screening program: in vitro cell/tissue models from human stem cells. Stem cells, in particular induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), may be an excellent source of cells for disease modeling and drug discovery programs related to cardiovascular diseases. The potential of iPSCs to generate disease models led to the creation of several biobanks in USA (Coriell Institute for Medical Research, NIH Center for Regenerative Medicine, ATCC and University owned biobanks), Europe (Cellartis; and an European initiative of Stem cell biobank) and Japan (RIKEN bioresource center) for storage and distribution of iPSC lines originated from patients and healthy controls.


In the last 6 years my research group has developed several tissue models from stem cells that may be an important platform for drug discovery programs related to cardiovascular diseases. A particular interest of the group is to develop biomaterials and bioengineering platforms for the efficient maturation/specification of stem cells and their progenies.


The research group uses many tools to accomplish this goal, including the design of new biomaterials with relevant biological information, molecular and cell biology, microfluidic systems, high content analysis, and animal experimentation. Nanomedicine platforms to modulate the activity of stem cells and their progenies. The development of a wide spectrum of nanotechnologies (referred as Nanomedicine by National Institutes of Health for applications in the biomedical area) during the last years are very promising for the study of stem cell biology and to control exogenous and endogenous stem cells for regenerative medicine.


Our group is particularly interested to use these tools to induce in vivo stem cell differentiation and to mobilize stem cells from their niches to treat cardiovascular diseases. For this purpose, we are developing nanomaterials that release efficiently biomolecules (small molecules, proteins or non-coding RNAs) to manipulate stem cells or their progenies.

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Team

Lino Ferreira

Lino Ferreira

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Ciência Vitae

Lino Silva Ferreira holds a Ph.D. in Biotechnology (2003) from the University of Coimbra (Portugal). He did postdoctoral work at MIT (USA) in the laboratory of Professor Robert Langer in the areas of human embryonic stem cells, micro- and nanotechnologies.

 

He joined the Center of Neurosciences and Cell Biology (CNC, University of Coimbra) in October 2007. He is the director of the Biomaterials and Stem Cell-Based Therapeutics research group and the CNC coordinator of the MIT-Portugal Program.

 

He is the founder of a biomaterials-based company called Matera (headquarters at Biocant). In 2012 he was awarded with a prestigious European Research Council starting grant and in 2016 with an ERA Chair grant.

Luís Estronca

Luís Estronca

LAB MANAGER

Ciência Vitae

Academic Degrees

July 2008/2014: PostDoc in Cell Biology in the Infection and Pathogens Group at the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Coimbra (Portugal)

2008: PhD in Chemistry, specialization Biological Chemistry at the University of Coimbra

2000: Biochemistry Degree at the University of Algarve, Faro (Portugal)


Research Interests

Nanomaterials for biomedical applications.

Post Doctorates

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Aji Alex

PostDoc

Arnab Banerjee

Arnab Banerjee

PostDoc

Miguel Lino

Miguel Lino

PostDoc

Patrícia Pitrez

Patrícia Pitrez

PostDoc

Susana Rosa

Susana Rosa

PostDoc

Susana Simões

Susana Simões

PostDoc

Sónia Pinho

Sónia Pinho

PostDoc

Vítor Francisco

Vítor Francisco

PostDoc

Graduates

Ana Carolina Mendes

Ana Carolina Mendes

Graduates

Andreia Marques

Andreia Marques

Graduates

Angela Barrera

Angela Barrera

Graduates

Carlos Jesus

Carlos Jesus

Graduates

Carolina Santos

Carolina Santos

Graduates

Francesca Tomatis

Francesca Tomatis

Graduates

Helena Aires

Helena Aires

Graduates

Inês Albino

Inês Albino

Graduates

Inês Tomé

Inês Tomé

Graduates

João Novo

João Novo

Graduates

Laura Carvalho

Laura Carvalho

Graduates

Marta Barão

Marta Barão

Graduates

Rafaela Ferrão

Rafaela Ferrão

Graduates

Sandra Pinhanços

Sandra Pinhanços

Graduates

Simão Santos

Simão Santos

Graduates

Tiago Reis

Tiago Reis

Graduates

Research Assistants

ALUMNI

Adrián Jiménez

Alessandra Zonari

Ana Cunha

Andreia Ribeiro

Andreia Vilaça

Antonio Santinha

Carlos Boto

Carolina Caetano

Cristiana Paulo

Cátia Seabra

David Botequim

David Braga Malta

Denise Monteiro

Deolinda Santinha

Dora Pedroso

Filipe Coelho

Filipe Rodrigues

Helena Antunes

Helena Vazão

Inês Aires

Isabel Carvalho

Joana Correia

Jorge Ruivo

José Paiva

João Maia

João Santos

João Sargento-Freitas

Luis Nobre

Malwina Kotowicz

Maria Nunes Pereira

Marta Lima

Merhzad Zargarzadeh

Michela Comune

Paula Lacerda

Pedro Gouveia

Renata Gomes

Renato Cardoso

Ricardo Abreu

Rita Santos

Rita Sá Ferreira

Sandra Pinto

Sara Pereira

Sezin Aday

Tania Barata

Vanessa Pinto

Job Opportunities

No job opportunity available at this time.