FCT and ITQB joint research project distinguished

Oeiras, 24.02.10

The prize ceremony for the Prémio de Mérito Científico Santander Totta - Universidade Nova de Lisboa 2009/10 will take place today at Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia. The prize will be awarded to the researchers Ana Cecília Roque from Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia and Olga Iranzo from ITQB.

The aim of winning project, entitled Magnetism and Biomimetics in Separation Processes, is to develop very small structures (nanostructures) for the purification of biological molecules which could reduce manufacturing costs for high added value pharmaceutical drugs, such as those used in cancer or inflammatory diseases therapy and diagnostics. 

Complementing their research interests, the team is composed of two research groups in different UNL units. Ana Cecilia Roque heads a group at FCT specialized in separation processes for biological products, such as antibodies and recombinant proteins.  Olga Iranzo's group at ITQB uses inorganic and biological chemistry to construct new molecules similar to naturally occurring enzymes and proteins.

This is the 3rd edition of the Prémio de Mérito Científico Santander Totta - Universidade Nova de Lisboa, established by Santander Totta and UNL, and aims to distinguish Research Projects developed by Junior Researchers from, at least, two Schools of this University.