Nanomedicina & Oncologia Clínica

O OncoNanoLab é um grupo de investigação interdisciplinar que estabelece a ponte entre a nanomedicina de ponta e a oncologia clínica, focando-se em enfrentar alguns dos maiores desafios no diagnóstico, tratamento e sobrevivência do cancro.

Desenvolvemos nanomateriais inteligentes e biorresponsivos para terapias de precisão, imunomodulação e intervenções guiadas por imagem, integrando design orientado por inteligência artificial e estruturas de translação para acelerar o impacto clínico.

O nosso trabalho abrange desde a biologia fundamental do cancro, incluindo heterogeneidade tumoral, resistência a fármacos e metastização, até aplicações práticas, como a equidade em saúde, qualidade de vida dos doentes e análises do peso global do cancro.

Através da colaboração com clínicos, especialistas em saúde pública e consórcios científicos internacionais, procuramos desenvolver soluções personalizadas e acessíveis para o cancro em populações diversas.

Com mais de 150 publicações em revistas de referência (Nature, The Lancet, Nature Materials, The Lancet Oncology, Nature Nanotechnology, JAMA Oncology, Advanced Materials, JACS, Matter, PNAS, Trends in Cancer, entre outras), o OncoNanoLab é movido pela inovação, pela translação e por um profundo compromisso em avançar tanto a ciência como a sociedade.

A nossa investigação, realizada na NOVA Medical School e na Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, está alinhada com os Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS) das Nações Unidas, em particular com o Objetivo 3 da Agenda 2030 — assegurar vidas saudáveis e promover o bem-estar para todos em todas as idades — bem como com o Objetivo 9, que promove uma industrialização inclusiva e sustentável e fomenta a inovação.

  • LISBOA2030-FEDER-01317200 – Preclinical-to Clinical Innovation Hub for Nova Medical School (2025-2027). Coordinator. Funding 3.2M€
  • Haddad Nova Medical Innovation Center – The Haddad Foundation (2025-2029). Co-coordinator. Funding 3.25M€
  • FCT Grant LISBOA2030-FEDER-00862500-14998 – OncoNanoAI: Artificial intelligence to discover the next generation of personalized nanoparticles for triple-negative breast cancer therapy (2025-2027). Funding 250K€
  • RNA-based cancer therapies. By Vector Bioscience Cambridge and Astrazeneca - European Innovation Council – EIC Transition Grant (2023-2026). Funding 2.5M€
  • Clinical validation of NANO-PL: a hydrogel-based formulation of a small molecule for a highly targeted therapy against Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). By TargTex SA - European Innovation Council – EIC Accelerator. Funding 14M€
  • Exploring the role of biomechanical forces in synapse formation as a strategy to combat neurodegeneration. FCT Grant, LISBOA2030-FEDER-16494-SYN3D (2025-2027, as consultant).
  • Specific RANK pathway inhibition for breast cancer-targeted therapy. FCT Grant, LISBOA2030-FEDER-00677700-15681(2025-2027).
  • Innovative signaling inhibition in breast cancer using folate-targeted lipid nanoparticles. Gilead GÉNESE, 26592 (2025-2027).
  • Li H, Jin W, Liu J, Zhou Y, Shan X, Zhang Y, Kou Y, Deng C, Jin C, Lau YL, Huang B, ***Conde J***, Kuang J, Lin Q. Tumor immunotherapy targeting immune cell mitochondria. *Trends Cancer*. 2025. [doi:10.1016/j.trecan.2025.100798](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trecan.2025.100798)
  • Fang H, You P, Wu Y, Liang F, Chen C, Hou Z, Wang Z, Lin J, Chen L, Zhang S, Chen X, Lu F, ***Conde J***, Huang H, Pan Y. ANXA1 mRNA-loaded bio-liposomes alleviate acute pancreatitis by suppressing STING pathway. *Nat Nanotechnol*. 2025. [doi:10.1038/s41565-025-01822-1](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-025-01822-1)
  • Mendes BB, Prasad R, ***Conde J***. Bridging the innovation gap and rethinking translation in biomaterials science. *Matter*. 2025. [doi:10.1016/j.matt.2025.05.003](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matt.2025.05.003)
  • Yao E, Li Y, Deng K, He W, Ashrafizadeh M, ***Conde J***, Yang L. Folic acid-targeted macrophage membrane-coated carbon quantum dots for osteosarcoma therapy. *Chem Eng J*. 2025. [doi:10.1016/j.cej.2025.153786](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2025.153786)
  • Feng X, Luo Z, Zhang W, Wan R, Chen Y, Li F, He Y, Lin Z, Hui JH, Li Y, ***Conde J***, Chen S, Zhao Z, Wang X. Zn-DHM nanozymes enhance muscle regeneration. *Adv Funct Mater*. 2025. [doi:10.1002/adfm.202412345](https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202412345)
  • Peixoto D, Ravasco JM, Blanco-Fernández B, Veiga F, Concheiro A, ***Conde J***, Paiva-Santos AC, Alvarez-Lorenzo C. Enzyme-responsive vitamin D-based micelles for paclitaxel delivery. *Mater Today Bio*. 2025. [doi:10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.100678](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.100678)
  • Prasad R, Ghosh A, Patel V, Peng B, Mendes BB, Win EHA, Delogu LG, Wong JY, et al., ***Conde J***. Voices of Nanomedicine: blueprint for global collaboration. *ACS Nano*. 2025. [doi:10.1021/acsnano.5c04186](https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.5c04186)
  • Mendes BB, Zhang Z, Conniot J, Sousa DP, Ravasco JMJ, et al., ***Conde J***. Machine learning analysis of inorganic nanoparticles in cancer. *Nat Nanotechnol*. 2024. [doi:10.1038/s41565-024-01678-y](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-024-01678-y)
  • Martins CF, García-Astrain C, ***Conde J***, Liz-Marzán LM. Hydrogel microneedles for personalized nanomedicine. *Drug Deliv Transl Res*. 2024. [doi:10.1007/s13346-024-01412-y](https://doi.org/10.1007/s13346-024-01412-y)
  • ***Conde J***, Langer R, Rueff J. mRNA therapy at the convergence of genetics and nanomedicine. *Nat Nanotechnol*. 2023. [doi:10.1038/s41565-023-01543-7](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-023-01543-7)
  • 2025 - World’s Top 2% Scientists list, Stanford University.
  • 2024 - Basinnov Innovation Award 2024 (honourable mention).
  • 2024 - Bluepharma Innovation Award 2023 (honourable mention).
  • 2023 - World’s Top 2% Scientists list, Stanford University.
  • 2022 - World’s Top 2% Scientists list, Stanford University.
  • 2021 - Nanomaterials 2020 Young Investigator Award.
  • 2021 - Top 2% Most Cited Researchers in Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies, PLOS Biology.
  • 2021 - 2021 Biomaterials Science Emerging Investigators, Royal Society of Chemistry.
  • 2019 - ERC Starting Grant: ERC-StG-2019-848325, European Research Council, EU.
  • 2018 - Junior Investigator: FCT Stimulus of Scientific Employment, (CEECIND/01688/2017) National Science Foundation, PT.
  • 2017 - Wellcome Image Awards 2017: Wellcome Trust, UK.
  • 2016 - Nano-Micro Letters Researcher Award, Nature Research Society.
  • 2016 - National Cancer Institute Image award: Cancer close up, US.
  • 2013 - Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowship for Career Development, Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IOF).
  • 2009 - PhD Fellowship - National Science Foundation - PhD Grant (FCT, SFRH/BD/ 62957/2009), PT.
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – USA
  • Yale University – USA
  • Harvard Medical School – USA
  • Harvard University – USA
  • Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard – USA
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital – USA
  • University of Washington (Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, IHME) – USA
  • Dana-Farber Cancer Institute – USA
  • Duke University – USA
  • University of Pennsylvania – USA
  • Tel Aviv University – Israel
  • University of British Columbia – Canada
  • Johns Hopkins University – USA
  • Case Western Reserve University – USA
  • University of Cambridge – UK
  • University of Oxford – UK
  • University College London (UCL) – UK
  • University of Turin – Italy
  • University Hospital Düsseldorf – Germany
  • Dublin Institute of Technology – Ireland
  • Shanghai Jiao Tong University – China
  • University of Glasgow – UK
  • Fundação Champalimaud – Portugal
  • iMed.UL (Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes) – Portugal
  • Universidade de Coimbra – Portugal

Investigador Principal

João Conde
Subdiretor para a Investigação

Co-investigador Principal

Isabel Fernandes

Equipa

Bárbara Mendes
Investigador pós-doutorado
Jordi Martínez
Jiemin Wang
Sofia Braga
Médico, Colaborador
Eduardo Netto
MD, PhD
Daniela Garcez
Andreia Chaves
Mário Fontes e Sousa
Diogo Alpuim Costa
Bruno Miguel Silva
Marina Vitorino
Collaborator
Marta Vaz Batista
Mariana Malheiro
Catarina Martins
Estudante de Doutoramento
Diana Sousa
Estudante de Doutoramento
Jhenifer Oliveira
Estudante de Doutoramento
Pedro Ribeiro
Diana Castro Peixoto
Rita Rafael
Estudante de Mestrado
Emily Rohrmoser
Estudante de Mestrado
Joana Coutinho
Estudante de Mestrado
Beatriz Matos
Bruna Franco