ITQB NOVA has a strong expertise in Molecular Biosciences, working to address key challenges that impact human health and the environment.
Our research spans Chemistry, Biological Chemistry, Biology, Plant Sciences, and Technology.
Microbiology of Man-made Environments
The Microbiology of Man-made Environments lab is dedicated to advancing microbiological solutions that address critical aspects of food safety and quality, as well as the development of therapeutic solutions and strategies to tackle environmental challenges.
GREEN-IT
Plant Sciences, Technology
Plant Functional Genomics
The Plant Functional Genomics lab studies the effect of environmental factors on the regulation of gene expression and plant development, with special focus on salt, drought and temperature stresses, using a number of different genomics approaches.
Biology
Genetics and Genomis of Plant Complex Traits (PlantX)
The Genetics and Genomis of Plant Complex Traits (PlantX) lab unveils the genetic and genomic basis of plant Complex traits, such as nutritional or organoleptic quality or biotic/abiotic stress resistance, using different statistical genetic and genomic approaches.
Biology, Technology
Plant Gene Regulation
The Plant Gene Regulation lab uses model and crop plants to study gene regulatory mechanisms underlying plant growth and plant responses to adverse environmental conditions.
Biology
Plant Cell Biotechnology
The Plant Cell Biotechnology lab aims to develop molecular strategies to support plant selection and breeding programs, to apply biotechnology to the development of companys strategies and to train researchers in plant biotechnology and plant molecular biology.
Biology
Plant Cell Biology
The Plant Cell Biology lab works on several aspects of the biology of the plant cell, with a main focus on the processes that regulate the successful expression of transgenes and synthesis of recombinant proteins in plant cell cultures.
Biology, Technology
Plant Ecophysiology and Metabolism
The Plant Ecophysiology and Metabolism lab aims to study the source-sink dynamics and carbon-nitrogen coordination in crops grown in field and controlled conditions, by combining agronomic, physiological and molecular analyses to understand the mechanisms involved in nutrient uptake, allocation and response to abiotic stresses.
Biology
Pharmacokinetics and Biopharmaceutical Analysis
The Pharmacokinetics and Biopharmaceutical Analysis lab develops in vitro models to study pharmacokinetics and metabolism. Those models are applied to dietary supplements or prospective drugs.
Plant Sciences, Technology
Advanced Cell Models
The Advanced Cell Models lab studies the cellular interactions occurring within the innate immune microenvironment during disease progression and governing response to advanced therapies, using stem cells and other patient-derived cells and exploring three-dimensional culture strategies.
GREEN-IT
Plant Sciences, Technology
Systems and Synthetic Biology
The Systems and Synthetic Biology lab pursues the development of efficient microbial cell factories for the production of relevant target products with industrial applications by implementing computationally-driven metabolic engineering strategies.
Plant Sciences, Technology
Engineering Cellular Applications Laboratory
The Engineering Cellular Applications lab is centered on integrative development of bioprocesses for complex biopharmaceuticals namely vaccines, recombinant proteins, viral vectors for gene therapy and cells/stem cells for cell therapy applications.
GREEN-IT
Plant Sciences, Technology
Food Functionality and Bioactives
The Food Functionality and Bioactives lab is focused on Analytical Chemistry applied to the study of foods namely with respect to their characterization, quality, safety and authenticity
GREEN-IT
Plant Sciences, Technology
Cell Bioprocesses
The Cell Bioprocesses lab focuses on the development of bioprocesses for complex biopharmaceuticals namely vaccines, recombinant proteins and viral vectors for gene therapy, as well as, the development of tools and methodologies for cell therapy applications and pre-clinical research.
GREEN-IT
Plant Sciences, Technology
Cell Line Development and Molecular Biotechnology
The Cell Line Development and Molecular Biotechnology lab focuses on the development and improvement of virus biopharmaceuticals, recombinant virus for vaccines or gene therapy, and the animal cell lines for their manufacturing.
GREEN-IT
Plant Sciences, Technology
Glycobiology
The Glycobiology lab studies structures and functions of glycosylation, which is a post-translational modification of proteins in human cells, with important implications in human health.
GREEN-IT
Biological Chemistry, Technology
Bacterial Evolution and Molecular Epidemiology
The Bacterial Evolution and Molecular Epidemiology lab aims to understand the molecular basis of bacterial evolution with focus on the pathogenicity and evolution of antimicrobial resistance determinants and antimicrobial resistant and pathogenic clones in opportunistic bacteria.
Biological Chemistry, Technology
Bacterial Cell Biology
The Bacterial Cell Biology uses the Gram positive pathogen Staphylococcus aureus to study the mechanisms of cell division and of antibiotic resistance to cell wall targeting antibiotics.
Biological Chemistry, Technology
Cell Signaling in Drosophila
The Cell Signaling in Drosophila lab uses Drosophila as a model system to study the molecular and cellular signaling mechanisms involved in the degeneration of the photoreceptors, the cells that sense light in the visual system.
Biological Chemistry, Technology
Intracellular Microbial Infection Biology
The Intracellular Microbial Infection Biology lab focuses on understanding the dynamics of the interaction between mammalian host cells and facultative intracellular bacterial pathogens using a combination of advanced microscopy approaches, organ-on-a-chip 3D cell system and classical cell biology and biochemistry approaches.
Biological Chemistry, Technology
Molecular Microbiology of Human Pathogens
The Molecular Microbiology of Human Pathogens lab studies how human interventions, such as the use of vaccines and antibiotics, impact on the nasopharyngeal ecosystem, a rich niche frequently inhabited by potentially pathogenic bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Biological Chemistry, Technology
AI-driven Optical Biology
The AI-driven Optical Biology lab develops pioneering open-source technologies that push the boundaries of cellular imaging while tackling fundamental questions in virology, microbiology, host-pathogen interactions, immunology, and cell signalling.
Biological Chemistry, Technology
Human Microbiota Xenobiotics Interactions
The Human Microbiota Xenobiotics Interactions lab investigates the effects of metals (and other xenobiotics) in the gut microbiota composition and function and its effects on the host by combining systems-based approaches and tailored molecular and biochemical experiments.
Biological Chemistry, Technology
Single Molecule Microbiology
The Single Molecule Microbiology lab uses high-resolution fluorescence microscopy techniques to detect and track individual DNA, RNA and protein molecules in living cells in order to study gene regulation and other problems in molecular cell biology.
Biological Chemistry
Proteome Regulation in Plants
The Proteome Regulation in Plants lab studies the effects of post-translational modifications on protein function, inducing the plants capacity to rapidly and efficiently deal with environmental changes
Biology
Plant-Microbiome Interactions
The Plant-Microbiome Interactions lab aims to provide new bioengineering tools in sustainable agriculture, through the application of multiomics analyses and lab, greenhouse and field-based studies.
Biology
Plant Reproduction and Evolution
The Plant Reproduction and Evolution lab focuses on mechanisms controlling sexual reproduction and early embryogenesis in plants, and how these are impacted by climate change.
Biology
Molecular Genetics
The Molecular Genetics lab focuses on the epidemiology, genetics, evolutionary and biochemical mechanisms of antibiotic resistant pathogens, specifically, staphylococci, enterococci and Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Biological Chemistry, Technology
Applied and Environmental Mycology
The Applied and Environmental Mycology lab aims to enlarge filamentous fungi biotechnological potential. Research ranges from fundamental studies on fungal biology to applications in bioremediation and biocatalysis, also highlighting ionic liquids higher interest.
Biological Chemistry, Technology
Control of Gene Expression
The Control of Gene Expression lab focuses on RNA degradation, enzymes that mediate decay and stress and microbial growth, with applications in Biotechnology and Health.
MOSTMICRO
Biological Chemistry, Technology
Proteomics of Non-Model Organisms
The Proteomics of Non-Model Organisms lab uses integrated omics approches coupled with other methodologies to define new antimicrobials and therapeuthic targets and contribute to clarify the mechanisms involved in echinoderms central nervous system regeneration envisaging biomimetic biomedical applications.
Biological Chemistry, Technology
Microbial Development
The Microbial Development lab studies the molecular mechanisms that drive the sporulation process with model organisms, to also understand pathogenicity in dangerous strains, and to look for biotechnological and medical applications of spores.
Biological Chemistry, Technology
Dynamic Structural Biology
The Dynamic Structural Biology lab elucidates molecular-level biological processes relevant to health and biotechnology, focusing on understanding the structural and dynamic aspects of disordered and multidomain proteins, chaperones, and enzymes.
Chemistry, Technology
Raman BioSpectroscopy
The Raman BioSpectroscopy lab is interested in fundamental questions and biotechnological applications of metalloproteins that carry out catalysis, detoxification, signaling, electron transfer and DNA repair.
Chemistry, Technology
Inorganic Biochemistry and NMR
The Inorganic Biochemistry and NMR lab is devoted to the structural and functional characterization of redox proteins that participate in the anaerobic bioenergetic metabolism of microorganisms, using biophysical methods.
Chemistry
Cryo-EM Integrative Structural Biology
The Cryo-EM Lab uses advanced cryo-electron microscopy to study photosynthesis and cellular transport, providing molecular insights into energy conversion and human health.
MOSTMICRO
Chemistry, Technology
Bioinspired Peptide Systems
The Bioinspired Peptide Systems lab works at the interface of chemistry and biology, using supramolecular peptide chemistry to understand the complexity of biological systems.
MOSTMICRO, iNOVA4Health
Technology
Structural Virology
The Strutural Virology lab studies the mechanisms underlying the establishment and modulation of herpesviral chromatin, aiming to understand how these processes contribute to infection and tumourigenesis.
MOSTMICRO, GREEN-IT
Chemistry, Technology
Protein Modelling
The Protein Modelling lab uses computational biophysical methods for the molecular modelling of proteins, including redox proteins, ABC transporters, viral membrane fusion proteins.
MOSTMICRO
Chemistry, Technology
Yeast Molecular Biology
The Yeast Molecular Biology lab studies the molecular mechanisms that enable opportunistic yeasts to infect hosts, aiming to develop better strategies for disease prevention and treatment.
MOSTMICRO
Chemistry, Technology
Molecular Simulation
The Molecular Simulation lab uses computational methods to study the atomic-level behavior and properties of chemical and biochemical molecules.
MOSTMICRO
Chemistry, Technology
Bioorganic Chemistry
The Bioorganic Chemistry lab applies organic chemistry to biological problems and designs synthetic derivatives of natural products.
iNOVA4Health
Technology
Bio-oriented Supramolecular Chemistry
The Bio-oriented Supramolecular Chemistry lab uses supramolecular-based approaches to prepare new chemical entities that bind biological targets through non-covalent interactions, developing probes and inhibitors.
MOSTMICRO, iNOVA4Health
Technology
Organometallic Chemistry and Catalysis
The Organometallic Chemistry and Catalysis lab focuses on the synthesis of organometallic compounds for catalytic and biological applications, including functionalization of organic molecules and metal-based drugs for human diseases, such as cancer and microbial infections.
MOSTMICRO, iNOVA4Health
Technology
Bioorganometallic Chemistry
The Bioorganometallic Chemistry lab focuses on the synthesis and application of biologically relevant N-heterocyclic carbenes.
MOSTMICRO, iNOVA4Health
Technology
Bioelectrochemistry and Electrobiotechnology
The Bioelectrochemistry and Electrobiotechnology Lab integrates biomolecules and microorganisms with electrode materials to study biological redox processes and develop biotechnological devices for energy conversion, storage, and biosensing applications.
MOSTMICRO
Chemistry
Bacterial Energy Metabolism
The Bacterial Energy Metabolism lab studies metabolic pathways and enzymes in anaerobic microorganisms that are relevant for health and the environment, and explores their biotechnological applications.
MOSTMICRO
Chemistry, Technology
Applied Protein Biochemistry
The Applied Protein Biochemistry lab combines protein biochemistry and biophysics with structural biology to study protein function in pathophysiological contexts and to design and develop proteins with biotechnological potential.
MOSTMICRO, GREEN-IT
Chemistry, Technology
Molecular Mechanisms of Pathogen Resistance
The Molecular Mechanisms of Pathogen Resistance lab studies how human pathogens survive antimicrobials produced by the innate immune system, focusing on resistance mechanisms and bacterial haem biosynthesis. The group also develops new antimicrobial drugs based on carbon monoxidereleasing molecules.
Chemistry, Technology
Microbial & Enzyme Technology
The Microbial & Enzyme Technology lab focuses on molecular biotechnology at the intersection of protein science and technology. It selects, characterizes, and optimizes enzymes to improve their properties for environmental and industrial applications.
Chemistry
Multiscale Modeling
The Multiscale Modeling lab employs computational molecular simulation models at different resolution scales to tackle a wide range of biological questions.
Chemistry
Membrane Protein Crystallography
The Membrane Protein Crystallography lab determines the three-dimensional structure of biological macromolecules.
Chemistry, Technology
Structural Genomics
The Structural Genomics lab studies proteins involved in diverse biological processes, such as DNA repair and protection, oxidative stress resistance and hydrogen sulfide metabolism, by a structural genomics approach.
GREEN-IT
Chemistry, Technology
Functional Biochemistry of Metalloenzymes
The Functional Biochemistry of Metalloenzymes lab studies the structure and functional mechanisms of soluble metalloenzymes, namely those involved in oxygen and nitric oxide metabolisms, at the molecular level.
Chemistry, Technology
Industry and Medicine Applied Crystallography
The Industry and Medicine Applied Crystallography lab determines the structure of biomolecules with industrial and medical relevance to understand their mode of action and design improved variants for industrial applications and drug discovery targeting proteins involved in human disease.
Chemistry, Technology