Our Team:
Manuel Bañobre-López
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Group leader
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Manuel Bañobre leads the Nanomedicine group at INL. His research is framed in the area of Nanomaterials applied to Biomedical Technologies. His research interest focuses on the engineering of multifunctional magnetic nanostructures as nanomedical platforms for diagnosis, therapy and theranostic applications, mainly focused on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic hyperthermia (MH) and drug delivery (DD). At educational level, he participates in advance courses in collaboration with the University and he is involved in the supervision of master, PhD and post-doc students at INL.
Juan Gallo
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Staff Researcher, P.I.
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Juan Gallo is a Staff Research in the AmTheNa Lab within the Health Cluster at INL. His research interests focus on the application of nanomaterials into human healthcare. With this idea in mind, his efforts are focused on several fronts. On one hand he has a keen interest on fundamental processes governing NP behavior on biomedical applications, such as T1–T2 interactions on MRI or basic MH processes. On the other hand, from the application point of view, his focuses on the development of immunomodulating concepts to be applied in cancer (immunostimulation) and autoimmune diseases or organ transplantation (immunosuppression), always trying to combine diagnosis/monitoring with treatment.
Lara Diego-González
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Research Fellow
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Lara Diego-González is a Research Fellow in the AmTheNa Lab, within the Health Cluster at INL. Her research is focused on the validation of nanostructured multifunctional materials for biomedical applications, with particular emphasis on cancer theranostics and immunotherapy. With a BSc in Biology (University of Vigo), MSc in Research in Immunology (Complutense University of Madrid), and a PhD in Nanomedicine (University of Vigo), her research focused on the study of the interaction between the cells of the immune system and different nanomaterials. During her PhD, she worked on the development and characterization of effectiveness of vaccines based on polymeric nanoparticles against pancreatic cancer and Tuberculosis. She also worked on the development of lipid nanoparticles to deliver siRNA as a therapeutic agent and be used as complementary therapy against pancreatic cancer. Before joining AmTheNa Lab, she worked as a Research Staff at the Transplant and Autoimmunity group of the Valdecilla Health Research Institute (IDIVAL), where her project consisted of analysis of immune response in different immunizing events during pandemic in a prospective cohort to stablish future strategies in COVID-19.
Prajakta Tambe
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Research Fellow
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Prajakta Tambe is a Marie SkÅ‚odowska-Curie Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the AmTheNa Lab within the Health Cluster at INL. Her research here focuses on the development of biomimetic nanocarriers as a theranostic platform for treating triple negative breast cancer (MAGNOSTICS). Her research interests includes studying various nanoplatforms for cancer therapeutics using RNA interference and exploring immunotherapeutics using biomimetic systems. Prajakta obtained her Bachelor´s, Master´s and PhD degree in Biotechnology from University of Pune, India. During her PhD, she worked on development of dendrimer-based nanoparticles to deliver siRNA as therapeutic agent to breast and prostate cancer cells with a focus on studying expression levels of anti-apoptotic gene, MCL-1. Before joining INL, she worked as a Research Technician at Queen´s University Belfast, UK, where her project involved studying the role of Tregs in acute respiratory distress syndrome. Apart from research, she loves travelling and painting.
Ana C. Hortelão
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Research Fellow
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Ana C. Hortelao is a Research Fellow in the AmTheNa Lab, within the Health Cluster at INL. Her research is focused on the development of nanostructured multifunctional materials for biomedical applications, with particular emphasis on cancer theranostics and immunotherapy. With a BSc in Applied Biology (University of Minho), MSc in Biophysics & Bionanosystems (University of Minho), and a PhD in Nanosciences (University of Barcelona), she is interested in taking a holistic and multidisciplinary approach to nanomedicine, taking into account not only safety-by-design but also the bio-interactions that nanomedicines go through before, during, and after performing their designated tasks.
Prior to joining AmTheNa Lab, Ana gathered expertise in several international research institutes, such as Max Planck Institute (Germany), Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (Spain), and Sorbonne University (France).
Andreia Patricia Magalhães
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Research Fellow
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Andreia Patricia Magalhães is currently a junior postdoctoral researcher in the AmTheNa Lab, within the Health Cluster at INL, engaged in a partnership project within the International Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) and the University of Minho – UnTAM: Unleashing the tumour associated macrophage (TAM) workforce to fight against cancer from the inside. Her research is focused on the development of new immunomodulatory nanostructures to reprogram tumour microenvironment. Holding a BSc in Biochemistry, MSc in Bioengineering, and a PhD in Chemical and Biological Engineering from University of Minho, Portugal, she is interested on the development of nanomedicine and disease detection from the level of nano–bio interactions between nanoparticles and biological systems.
Raquel Rodrigues
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Research Fellow
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Raquel Rodrigues is a Marie Curie Individual Fellow (MSCA-IF-GF) in the AmTheNa Lab within the Health Cluster at INL. This MSCA includes a secondment at Harvard Medical School (Brigham Women’s Hospital, USA), with the project BrainChip4Med, aiming the development of a Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB)-Brain-on-a-chip to monitor brain-targeting nanoformulations for neurodegenerative diseases. She is also a scientific associate at CMEMS/UMinho with an individual CEEC for junior researcher granted by FCT. She obtained her PhD from the University of Porto in 2018, winning the Fraunhofer Best Portuguese PhD Thesis competition in Biomedical Engineering. She has been enrolled in 12 R&D projects, 1 as PI and 1 as Co-PI, published 28 papers in specialized international journals, 6 book chapters, 2 cover articles and 1 WO Patent. She has experience in the multidisciplinary field of biotechnology, nanomedicine, microfluidics, biosensors and organ-on-a-chip, acquired at highly recognised institutions, namely Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (Fulbright Research Grant) and NASA Ames Research Centre (International Internship). Raquel’s professional ambition is to become an independent researcher in the areas of nanomedicine and advanced diagnostic devices, which can bring meaningful and real impact to research and medicine.
Nuria Genicio
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Junior Fellow
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Nuria Genicio Bouza is a Research Fellow working half time for the Nanomedicine group and half time for the Department of Life Sciences. She is involved in different projects within the department, giving technical support as well as hands-on support. In particular in the Nanomedicine group, she carries out studies on cells-nanostructures interactions, as well as the characterization of nanomaterials and their preclinical validation.
She took a BSc in Chemisty at the University of Santiago de Compostela and a MSc in Biochemistry at the University of Salamanca. As for her professional career, she worked in several institutes, such as CIC biomaGUNE in Basque Country, under Professor Penadés supervision; later at the Institute of Ophthalmology-UCL in London under Clinician Scientist and Consultant Ophthalmologist Alex Shortt; and, finally, at the CBMA-University of Minho
Victor Gonçalves
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PhD Student
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Victor Gonçalves holds a Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology from the Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra and earned his Master’s degree in Biophysics and Bionanosystems from the University of Minho. His Master’s thesis focused on developing polymer-type electrodes functionalized with thin films for biomedical devices, with a primary emphasis on studying the interactions of intermetallic thin films with biological systems. Currently a Ph.D. student in the AmThena Lab at INL, Victor's research is dedicated to advancing nanomaterials for use as a diagnostic tool, specifically by exploring their magnetic resonance properties. His primary project goal is the development of a biomedical NMR-based and magnetic nanoparticles-aided diagnostic test for the multiplex detection of SARS-CoV-2-antigens and SARS-CoV-2-derived host-antibodies.
Cátia Rocha
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PhD Student
Cátia Rocha is a bachelor in Radiation Therapy from the Polytechnic Institute of Porto and obtained her Master’s degree in Biophysics and Bionanosystems, at University of Minho. In her master she developed (para)magnetic nanostructures for cancer theranostics. She is currently a Ph.D. student in the AmThena Lab at INL. Her thesis consists on the development of multifunctional magnetic PLGA nanoparticles for beta-cell replacement therapy in type 1 diabetes.
Raquel Gonçalves
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PhD Student
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Raquel obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Master’s degree in Analytical Chemistry and Characterization Techniques from University of Minho. Currently, she is a PhD student developing her project in collaboration with AmThena Lab at INL, Department of Chemistry at University of Coimbra and Centre of Chemistry at University of Minho. Her research is focused on the synthesis of functionalized BODIPYs derivatives for biomedical applications as optical chemosensors, bioimaging probes and photosensitizers.
Ana Raquel Bertão
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PhD Student
Ana Raquel Bertão obtained her Bachelor’s in Biochemistry and Master’s degree in Chemical Analysis and Characterization Techniques from the University of Minho. She is currently undertaking a PhD project as a collaboration between the AmThena Lab at INL, the School of Medicine and the Chemistry Center from University of Minho. Her research project is mainly focused on the development of dual-loaded drug delivery systems based on magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles for cancer theranostics.
André Carvalho
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PhD Student
André Carvalho holds a degree in Chemistry and a master's degree in Medicinal Chemistry, both obtained at the University of Minho. He is currently pursuing his PhD through a collaborative effort between the AmThena Lab at the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) and the Chemistry Centre at the University of Minho. His research project is centered on the creation of an innovative platform of self-assembled theranostic hydrogels using peptides. The main core of his work lies in the development of a platform that combines magnetic resonance imaging with thermo-chemotherapy of cancer activated by magnetic hyperthermia.
Cátia Martins​
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PhD Student
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Cátia is a Bachelor in Biochemistry and is currently in her second year of the Masters in Analytical Chemistry and Characterisation Techniques at the Dept of Chemistry in the University of Minho. Her research project on peptidic reporters development is framed within the SELF-i project
Vasco Peixoto
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Master Student
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Vasco is a bachelor in Applied Biology from the University of Minho and is currently in his second year of the Master in Biophysics and Bionanosystems. His master thesis project is focused on the development and application of magnetic nanohybrids for cancer theranostics, being the main focus of the project to address drug resistance mechanisms produced by cancer cells.
Ana Cristina Ribeiro
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Research Associate
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Ana obtained her Bachelor's in Biochemistry and her Master's in Biophysics and Bionanosystems in University of Minho. Her Master's thesis was focused on the development of a new system for amplification of genetic material using magnetic hyperthermia. Currently, she is a Research Associate mainly focused on the synthesis and characterization of solid lipid nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery.
Visiting researchers:
Our collaborations:
We are happy and proud to collaborate with some of the most exciting groups and institutions in the world. And we are always open to start new collaborations.
