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29 September 2025

Julia Polak International Prize Recognises Doctoral Work in Biomaterials

Julia Polak International Prize Recognises Doctoral Work in Biomaterials

Cátia Monteiro, researcher at CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials and the Department of Chemistry of the University of Aveiro (UA), was awarded the prestigious Julia Polak European Doctorate Award, granted by the European Society for Biomaterials (ESB). This international distinction recognises young researchers who have recently completed their PhD and whose work stands out for scientific excellence and innovation in the fields of biomaterials and tissue engineering.

With her doctoral thesis entitled “Osteosarcoma-on-a-chip: a physiologically relevant human-based microfluidic platform for drug screening” (2024), Cátia Monteiro focused on the development of advanced 3D tumour models for the study of osteosarcoma, exploring human-derived biomaterials in biomimetic systems.

These innovative approaches ranged from the development of cellular micro-aggregates in which cells are free to self-organise in a 3D system, to the fabrication of microfluidic chips to study tumour responses in a dynamic environment. The work demonstrated the potential of these platforms in replicating complex cellular microenvironments, contributing to new strategies in the investigation of bone diseases and in the evaluation of innovative therapies.

The research was conducted within the COMPASS research group, led by João Mano, integrated in CICECO and the Department of Chemistry at UA. This group has been distinguished for the development of innovative biomaterials based on human-derived proteins, exploring their unique potential to create advanced in vitro platforms applicable in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and disease models.

This doctoral project was supervised by João Mano and Catarina Custódio, from UA, and also included international collaboration under the supervision of Peter Loskill, at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Tübingen, Germany.

This award represents international recognition of the work carried out during the PhD and reinforces the scientific quality and impact of the research conducted at UA in the field of biomaterials and regenerative medicine.

Original content: https://www.ua.pt/pt/noticias/16/92603

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