About
The Modelling for Innovative Diagnostics, Treatment, and Theragnostic Group, headed by Maria Filomena Botelho, is a multidisciplinary team which the main research aims to develop new diagnostic, treatment, and theragnostic solutions for different medical conditions, with a strong focus on cancer.
The group is located at the Institute of Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, and at the Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), area of Environment, Genetics and Oncobiology (CIMAGO). The Institute's location in an ecosystem especially dedicated to health research, with emphasis on the university hospital, is an asset that fosters clinical translation. In this context, research and teaching are connected, in a synergy of knowledge and skills that allows us to answer relevant clinical questions from all medical fields.
Our group develops basic and clinical research, in a truly translational concept, in three main research areas: biophysics, oncology, and biomaterials. Specifically, the group goals are (1) to take advantage of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation biological effects for the improvement of diagnostics, treatment, and theragnostic, (2) to develop innovative treatment strategies based on novel compounds, biomaterials, and drug combinations, and (3) to understand physiopathology and response to treatment through translational man-lab-men models. In our research, we emphasize the targeted radionuclide therapy, cold atmospheric plasma, photodynamic therapy (PDT), the human amniotic membrane, biomaterials, and new synthesized cytotoxic compounds that will, in a long term, contribute to the improvement of treatment and translation to the clinics.
We stand out the combination of computational models (simulations, bioinformatics, and mathematical), in vitro (cell and tissue cultures), in vivo (animal models), ex vivo (organs/tissues), and clinical studies, supported by diverse cellular and molecular techniques, nuclear medicine, and imaging among others.
The group’s extensive and diversified skills allowed relevant contributions to Evidence-Based and Precision Medicine, with strong clinical repercussions.
Main achievements
Through our basic and clinical research:
1. We proved that the amniotic membrane isolated from the human placenta (hAM) has an anti-tumor effect, such as the cytotoxic effect in hepatocellular carcinoma (Med Oncol. 2015). We also demonstrated that hAM regulates human peripheral blood T cell subsets, monocyte subpopulations, and myeloid dendritic cells (Cell Tissue Res. 2018) (Funded by FIS-2015-01-Onc-20150630-120). By our participation in COST SPRINT Action, we complied methods of classification of perinatal derivatives and its application in oncology and ophthalmology models (Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2022; Int J Mol Sci. 2022; Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2022b).
2. Our group developed a device capable of generating cold atmospheric plasma and demonstrated its applicability as a new therapeutic approach in different types of cancer, whether applied directly or indirectly (Biology (Basel). 2021; Free Radic Biol Med. 2021; Int J Mol Sci. 2022). Also, within this field, we have explored the wound-healing capacity of this new therapeutic approach.
3. Through our vast experience in ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, we developed and evaluated several new radiotracers for diagnostic imaging (Mol Diagn Ther. 2014, J Labelled Comp Radiopharm. 2014), focus also on the effect of hypoxia in radiotracers uptake in vitro (Nucl Med Biol. 2010, Biomed Res Int. 2014) and in vivo (Curr Radiopharm. 2012). Within radionuclide therapy, we demonstrate the potential of Iodine-131 for cholangiocarcinoma treatment (Int J Oncol 2020) and contribute to disclosing the kinetic profile and radiobiological effects of Radium-223 (Int J Radiat Biol. 2021). Within easyPET.3D project, (collaboration with University of Aveiro) we showed that this equipment provides low-cost, high-performance PET equipment.
4. In the field of Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), our team developed and assessed the biological activity and effectiveness of innovative photosensitizers in several types of cancer, in vitro and in vivo, in collaboration with the Department of Chemistry of the University of Coimbra. Our research has demonstrated a potential application of these new compounds for PDT and theragnostic, reflected in funding projects (PTDC/QUI-QOR/0103/2021; CENTRO-45-2021-30; 01/SAICT/2021, nº 180078), patents (WIPO (PCT) 2016, WO2017145092A1) and publications (Eur J Med Chem, 2015; ACS Omega, 2019; Eur J Med Chem, 2020; RSC Med Chem, 2021).
5. Within the scope of biomaterials research, the group investigates cytotoxicity (J Appl Oral Sci 2019, Materials (Basel) 2022) and biocompatibility of materials and devices (J Funct Biomater. 2022, Materials (Basel). 2021, J Vis Exp. 2021) used in several medical areas. Additionally, we use bioengineering strategies to develop materials with improved properties for use in Regenerative Medicine, such as new bioactive material for the restoration of posterior teeth (Applied Sciences 2023) (collaboration with Institute of Integrated Clinical Practice, FMUC).
Publications
Scientific interests and ongoing research projects
1. PRIMA Section 2 -2018 Programm / FCT; MED4Youth - Mediterranean Enriched Diet for tackling Youth Obesity. Ref. PRIMA/0004/2018. 01/05/2019-30/11/2023 Participantes: Maria Filomena Botelho, Ana Margarida Abrantes, Ana Salomé Pires, Ricardo Teixo.
2. European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST Action); SPRINT - International Network for Translating Research on Perinatal Derivatives into Therapeutic Approaches. Ref. CA17116. 16/10/2018–15/04/2023. Participants: Maria Filomena Botelho, Ana Salomé Pires, Mafalda Laranjo.
3. Implementation Network Europe for Cancer Survivorship Care (CA21152). Investigadores: Ana Margarida Abrantes, Ana Salomé Pires, Maria Filomena Botelho. Financiador: European project financed by European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST Action). 26/10/2022 - 25/10/2026
4. Novel polypyrrole scaffolds for therapy and imaging of lung cancer. PTDC/QUI-QOR/0103/2021, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia. January 2022 PI: Teresa Pinho e Melo. Team members: Mafalda Laranjo, Maria Filomena Botelho
SunRISe-2: A Study of TAR-200 in Combination With Cetrelimab Versus Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy in Participants With Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer (MIBC) of the Bladder. Principal investigator: Arnaldo Figueiredo