João Borges

Assistant Researcher

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  • Chemistry
  • 29.3.38

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Short biography

João Borges is a Senior Researcher at CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials and the Department of Chemistry at the University of Aveiro, Portugal. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Porto. He has been focusing his research and collaborating with interdisciplinary and international partners on the molecular design, synthesis and development of bioinspired supramolecular multicomponent biomaterials by combining polysaccharides, synthetic polymers, peptides, and nucleic acids to interface with living systems. Those self-assembling biomaterials, include biomimetic Layer-by-Layer-driven soft self-assembling nanobiomaterials and bioinspired, chemically programmable and dynamic supramolecular hydrogels to be used as bioinstructive matrices to control cell functions and as platforms for controlled drug/protein/therapeutics delivery.  João has been lecturing on supramolecular biomaterials for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine strategies in Portugal and abroad at undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as on communication and presentation skills, and he has been PI of R&D projects funded at European (SupraLife, ID: 101079482) and national levels (SUPRASORT, ID: PTDC/QUI-OUT/30658/2017), and team member in several other EU and FCT funded projects.

He has been chairing international scientific conferences and symposia in major international conferences (e.g., SupraLife First/Second/Third School, IUPAC WCC 2023, ESB 2023, TERMIS-EU 2025), member of the scientific and organizing committees of national and international conferences (e.g., IUPAC WCC 2023, 5th SPLC-CRS Young Scientists Meeting, 9th PYCheM), referee and chairman, guest editor of themed collections / special issues (e.g., J. Mater. Chem. B, Pure and Applied Chemistry, Frontiers in Medical Technology)), and has been invited to deliver plenary, keynote and invited lectures in major international conferences (e.g., TERMIS-EU 2019, 2025; 12th WBC 2024, SupraLife Second School 2024, 5th SPLC-CRS Young Scientists Meeting 2025). João is the recipient of several honors and awards, including elected Chemistry Europe Fellow (Class of 2022/2023), elected Member of the Global Young Academy (2024-2029), elected Member of the Young Academy of Portugal of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences (2024-2026), and received the Periodic Table of Younger Chemists Award (2019). He is also an Editorial Advisory Board Member of the Journal of Materials Chemistry B (RSC) and Associate Editor for Frontiers in Medical Technology.

Beyond his academic activity and scientific impact, João has been strongly commited to connecting, mentoring, and empowering young scientists in advancing their professional development, as well as to delivering a positive social impact by being invested in science communication, outreach, policy and diplomacy as a Member of the Global Young Academy (GYA), Young Academy of Portugal of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences (SJC-ACL), International Younger Chemists Network (IYCN), and European Young Chemists’ Network (EYCN). He has been actively serving and embracing leadership roles in several early-career chemists’ networks and professional scientific organizations at national, European, and international levels, extensively supporting the networking activities among and empowering early-career scientists. In particular, he has been Vice-Chair (2021) and Chair of the IYCN (2021-2022).

He is currently Member of the Biomaterials Chemistry Group at the Royal Society of Chemistry, Co-Leader of the Programme Organizing Committee for the 2025 GYA Annual General Meeting, and Co-Chair of the Global Conversation on Sustainability (GCS) – a joint project by the IYCN and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) – which aims to tackle the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by raising awareness and implementing sustainable practices globally, and a National Representative of the IYCN Standing Committee at IUPAC.

João is a member of several professional scientific organizations, including the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), the American Chemical Society (ACS), the European Society for Biomaterials (ESB), the Portuguese Chemical Society (SPQ), and IUPAC.

Professional Appointments

International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC):

  • Since 2025: Member of the International Advisory Board for the 51st World Chemistry Congress (IUPAC 2027), which will be held in Montréal, QC, Canada from 8-16th July 2027.

Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC, https://www.rsc.org/):

  • Since 2024: Member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of Materials Chemistry B.
  • Since 2024: Elected member of the RSC Biomaterials Chemistry Committee.

Global Young Academy (GYA, https://globalyoungacademy.net/):

  • Since 2024: Co-Leader of the Programme Organizing Committe for the 2025 GYA Annual General Meeting.
  • Since 2024: Member of the Communications Committee.
  • Since 2024: Member of the ‘Science Advice’, ‘Scientific Excellence’, ‘Trust in Young Scientists’ and ‘The GYA and the UN SDGs’ working groups.

Young Academy of Europe (YAE, https://yacadeuro.org/):

  • Since 2024: Elected Fellow of the Young Academy of Europe.

Young Academy of Portugal (https://www.acad-ciencias.pt/eng/institutos/apresentacao-do-sjc/):

  • Since 2024: Elected Member of the Young Academy of Portugal of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences.

International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC, https://iupac.org/):

  • Since 2024: National Representative of the IYCN Standing Committee at IUPAC.
  • Since 2022: Task Group Co-Chair of the IUPAC/IYCN joint project "Global Conversation on Sustainability" (https://www.gcs-day.org).

International Younger Chemists Network (IYCN, https://www.iycnglobal.com/): 

  • August 2022-August 2023: Past Chair and Advisor.
  • August 2021-August 2022: Chair.
  • April 2021-August 2021: Vice-Chair.
  • September 2019-April 2021: Member of the Executive Board and  Conference Presence Committee Leader.
  • September 2018-September 2019: Member of the Conference Presence Committee.

European Young Chemists' Network (EYCN; young division of EuChemS, https://www.eycn.eu/): 

  • 2017-2023: Member of the Networks and Global Connnections Teams.
  • 2017-2021: Coordinator of the European Young Chemists' Meetings (EYCheM).
  • 2017-2019: Portuguese Delegate.

The Young Chemists Group (GQJ - Grupo de Químicos Jovens, https://gqj.spq.pt/) of the Portuguese Chemical Society (SPQ - Sociedade Portuguesa de Química):

  • 2016-2018: Member of the Directing Board.

Ongoing Supervisions

Ivo Silva Cruz

Research Fellowship

Vera Catarina Ferreira de Sousa

PhD Student

Projects

Biomateriais Supramoleculares Quimicamente Programáveis e Dinâmicos para Regeneração Neuronal (SUPRANEURO)

CoordinatorFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Revolucionando Modelos de Doenças e Triagem de Medicamentos com um Sistema Microfisiológico Cardíaco Totalmente Humano Impresso em 3D. (CardioChip)

PartnerFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Supramolecular design of multitactic 3D polymeric biomaterials for spinal cord repair (SUPRANEURO 2)

CoordinatorFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Spinal cord injury (SCI) represents one of the leading causes of disability worldwide , being characterized by a permanent loss of motor function and sensory perception owing to the complex pathophysiology and inability of the central nervous system (CNS) to self-regenerate. Currently, the most common therapeutic approaches involve the ...

3D cells colonization in marine-derived hydrogels through controlled micro-channels patterning for bone repair (PROMENADE)

PartnerFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Maritime Domain Awareness is the combination of activities, events and threats in the maritime environment that could have impact on marine activities and EU territory. During the past decades, advances in Information and Communication Technologies have provided better means to monitor and analyse vessel activity. Today private and public source...

Bioinspired tile-matching to create ultrastructured bone microtissues in a close-to-native fashion (TETRISSUE)

PartnerFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
The driving force behind TETRISSUE is inspired in the fundamentals of the native bone regenerative process and supported by a strong technological character to produce highly vascularized ultrastructured bone replacements. Its innovative character is mainly related with the integration of key elements working in tandem: (1) bioinstructive microp...

CIRCUS - Directing Bone Dynamics Through The Synergistic Action Of Immune Cells With Bioengineered Cell Microfactories Containing Patterned Microplatforms (CIRCUS)

PartnerFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Desenvolvimento de hidrogeis de inspiracao marinha multifuncionais e de elevado desempenho para regeneracao de cartilagem, reticulados com ligacoes nao-covalentes e bio-instrutivas deslizantes. (MARGEL)

PartnerFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Desenvolvimento de uma membrana periodontal multicamada composta por blocos inovativos a base de polimeros de origem marinha e enzima para regeneracao guiada de osso que possui mineralizacao enzimatica controlada. (MIMETIc)

PartnerFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Dispositivos Supramoleculares Auto-Regulados baseados na Complementaridade dos Pares de Base do ADN: Uma Tecnologia Biomimética e com Reconheciemnto Molecular para Isolar Células Específicas para Aplicações Biomédicas (SUPRASORT)

CoordinatorFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Hidrogéis de Lisados de Plaquetas para Regeneração do Miocárdio (BEAT)

PartnerFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
In the field of the Electronic Integrated circuit design, the analog-mixed-signal (AMS) physical design of all analog blocks and of whole integrated circuits (IC) based on the Analog-on-Top approach still uses a handmade flow. The Electronic Design Automation (EDA) industry has been working since several years in the application of techniques to...

Marine Origin Biopolymers as Innovative Building Blocks from the Sea for the Development of Bioresorbable Multilayered Membranes for guided bone regeneration (BLUETEETH)

PartnerFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Natural origin polymers from algae and arthropods can be obtained in large scale, and a great effort has been paid to find applications for such high-added value materials. Periodontal disease is frequent in humans and constitutes, together with dental caries, the principal cause of tooth loss in adults. Currently, one of the available treatment...

Metodologias eficientes para a conjugação de polissacarídeos naturais com péptidos para obtenção de membranas multifuncionais para regeneração periodontal. (COP2P)

PartnerFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Produção de Plataformas Microcapsulares 3D+ para Avaliação Laboratorial em Larga Escala de Novas Terapias Combinatórias para o Cancro do Pâncreas (PANGEIA)

PartnerFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Unlocking the scientific excellence and innovation capacity of the University of Aveiro in supramolecular multicomponent biomaterials for enabling advanced biomaterials for healthcare (SUPRALIFE)

CoordinatorEuropean Comission
The SUPRALIFE project is a Twinning project funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme which is coordinated by the COMPASS Research Group at CICECO, at the University of Aveiro (UAVR, Portugal). The consortium also brings together the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e, The Netherlands), the U...

Publications

Stable Protein‐Based G‐Quadruplex‐Derived Supramolecular Bioinks as Tunable ECM‐Mimetic Constructs Assembled by Combining Non‐Covalent and Covalent Strategies

Vera Sousa, Rita Sobreiro-Almeida, Bart W. L. van den Bersselaar, E. W. Meijer, Ghislaine Vantomme, João Borges, João F. Mano
2026, Advanced Materials.

Merging Natural Biopolymers with Supramolecular Chemistry: Emulating the Native Extracellular Matrix's Complexity

Sousa, V; Ladeira, B; Garanger, E; Lecommandoux, S; Meijer, EW; Dankers, PYW; Mano, JF; Borges, J
2025, ACS NANO, 19, 33, 29833-29859.

Injectable and self-healable supramolecular hydrogels assembled by quaternised chitosan/alginate polyelectrolyte complexation for sustained drug delivery and cell encapsulation

Sousa, CFV; Borges, J; Mano, JF
2025, BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE, 13, 13, 3617-3632.

Silk Sericin/Chitosan Supramolecular Multilayered Thin Films as Sustainable Cytocompatible Nanobiomaterials

Rosas, M; Sousa, CFV; Pereira, A; Amaral, AR; Pesqueira, T; Patrício, SG; Fateixa, S; Nogueira, HIS; Mano, JF; Oliveira, AL; Borges, J
2025, BIOMACROMOLECULES, 26, 1, 296-310.

Marine-Origin Polysaccharides and Their Chemically Modified Derivatives as Sources of Advanced Biofunctional Materials for Biomedical Applications

Sousa, V; Monteiro, LPG; Rocha, DHA; Rodrigues, JMM; Borges, J; Mano, JF
2025, BIOMACROMOLECULES, 26, 8, 4735-4772.

Natural Polymer-Polyphenol Bioadhesive Coacervate with Stable Wet Adhesion, Antibacterial Activity, and On-Demand Detachment

Sacramento, MMA; Oliveira, MB; Gomes, JRB; Borges, J; Freedman, BR; Mooney, DJ; Rodrigues, JMM; Mano, JF
2024, ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS, 13, 13.
ISBN: 2192-2659

Acidochromic Free-Standing Multilayered Chitosan-Pyranoflavylium/Alginate Membranes toward Food Smart Packaging Applications

Cunha, M; de Freitas, V; Borges, J; Mano, JF; Rodrigues, JMM; Cruz, L
2024, ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS, 6, 11, 6820-6830.

Building the Young Program for IUPAC|CHAINS 2023

João Borges, Eva Meeus, Maximilian Menche, Fatima Mustafa, Koen Van den Helder
2024, ChemistryViews.

Recent Developments in Layer-by-Layer Assembly for Drug Delivery and Tissue Engineering Applications

Borges, J; Zeng, JF; Liu, XQ; Chang, H; Monge, C; Garot, C; Ren, KF; Machillot, P; Vrana, NE; Lavalle, P; Akagi, T; Matsusaki, M; Ji, J; Akashi, M; Mano, JF; Gribova, V; Picart, C
2024, ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS, 13, 8.
ISBN: 2192-2659

Towards a Sustainable Future: Challenges and Opportunities for Early-Career Chemists

Dobbelaar, E; Goher, SS; Vidal, JL; Obhi, NK; Felisilda, BMB; Choo, YSL; Ismail, H; Lee, HL; Nascimento, V; Al Bakain, R; Ranasinghe, M; Davids, BL; Naim, A; Offiong, NA; Borges, J; John, T
2024, ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION, 63, 35.
ISBN: 1521-3773

Soft Matter for Biomedical Applications

Helena S. Azevedo, João F. Mano, João Borges
2021, Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).
ISBN: 978-1788017572

Extending the Functionality of Marine-origin Polysaccharides Through Chemical Modification for Biomedical Applications

In Helena S. Azevedo, João F. Mano, João Borges (Eds.), Soft Matter for Biomedical Applications
João M. M. Rodrigues, Edgar J. Castanheira, Dora C. S. Costa, Djenisa H. A. Rocha, João Borges and João F. Mano
2021, 180-204, Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).
ISBN: 978-1-78801-757-2

Shaping Soft Structures Using Bottom-up Layer-by-layer Assembly Technology for Biomedical Applications

In Helena S. Azevedo, João F. Mano, João Borges (Eds.), Soft Matter for Biomedical Applications
João Borges, Cristiana F. V. Sousa, Isabel M. Bjørge, Sara Nadine, Clara R. Correia, Sónia G. Patrício and João F. Mano
2021, 444-473, Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).
ISBN: 978-1-78801-757-2

Stimuli-responsive Nanocomposite Hydrogels Incorporating Soft Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications

In Helena S. Azevedo, João F. Mano, João Borges (Eds.), Soft Matter for Biomedical Applications
Pedro Lavrador, João Borges, Vítor M. Gaspar and João F. Mano
2021, 566-593, Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).
ISBN: 978-1-78801-757-2

Soft Matter for Biomedical Applications

Helena S. Azevedo, João F. Mano, João Borges
2021, Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).
ISBN: 978-1788017572

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