Journal of Materials Chemistry Blog

Cathrine Abild Meyer is a PhD student at Aarhus University, Denmark, under the supervision of Prof. Brigitte Städler. She obtained her BSc (2019) and MSc degree (2022) in Nanoscience from Aarhus University, Denmark. During her undergraduate study, she gained experience in cell biology and synthetic biology while studying the interaction of polymer-lipid hybrid vesicles with astrocytes. Her current research focuses on the communication from mitochondria to the cell nucleus called mitochondrial retrograde signaling. In her research, she aims to create artificial minimal cells consisting of purified mitochondria and nuclei from donor cells encapsulated into hydrogel beads to study the mitochondrial retrograde signaling without interference from the complex network inside the mammalian cells.

Margarida Sacramento is a PhD student conducting her research within the COMPASS group at CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, under the supervision of Professor João Mano.

Her current research focuses on developing and characterizing adhesive biomaterials using naturally derived polymers and polyphenols for various biomedical applications, including in situ 3D printing. Prior to her doctoral studies, Margarida obtained her bachelor’s (2017) and master’s (2019) degrees in biotechnology from the same institution. During this period, she worked on improving the performance of magnetic quaternary chitosan nanoparticles for the removal of water pollutants.  Driven by the passion for science, Margarida aspires to pursue a future career likely at the interface of cellular biology and biomaterials science.

Joana Calvário is a Ph.D. student at Ana Pina’s Bioinspired Peptide Systems Lab, in ITQB-NOVA, Portugal. She has a Bachelor’s in biochemistry and a Master’s in biotechnology from NOVA School of Science and Technology, and her academic journey reflects an enduring curiosity about fundamental processes underlying biological systems. From utilizing bioinformatics in protein stability studies to enhancing electronic nose biosensors with Odorant Binding Proteins, Joana’s research path has been diverse. Fascinated by compartmentalization’s role in biochemical reactions, she now focuses her Ph.D. on understanding liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) in membraneless organelles, where she aims to unravel the molecular principles governing LLPS. Her research aims to create artificial functional compartments inspired by natural systems, shedding light on LLPS’s impact on the origin of proteins’ functions and enzymatic activity evolution. Joana’s ultimate goal is to make significant contributions to understanding LLPS dynamics in nature, offering novel insights into fundamental biological processes.