INESC TEC researcher wins Gulbenkian Prize

INESC TEC researcher wins Gulbenkian Prize

Cláudia Ferreirinha from the Optoelectronics and Electronic Systems Unit (UOSE) at INESC TEC was one of the researchers awarded the Prize for Encouraging Research from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

06th December 2011

The Encouraging Research Programme aims to encourage youngsters to be creative and improve the quality of scientific research. It annually awards proposals with high creative potential in science in the following subjects: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Earth and Space sciences. This programme places youngsters in Portuguese research centres to help them develop their projects. 

The prizewinning project by Cláudia Ferreirinha aims to detect Escherichia Coli using the reaction of an enzyme specific to the microorganism. The project includes a second phase that will include integrating the reaction on a lab-on-a-chip which will be developed in conjunction with the micro fabrication group at UOSE.

This project is part of a strategy to develop sensors for security (bioterrorism) and public health which began three years ago in the biosensor unit.

In addition to INESC TEC, IBMC-INEB, the University of Burgos (Spain) and ICETA/REQUIMTE will all participate in the project.

At the same time as working at INESC TEC, Cláudia Ferreirinha is reading for an Integrated Masters in Bioengineering at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto.

Source: BIP November 2011