It works regardless of whether a patient carries BRCA mutations
From laboratories in Porto, two researchers have stepped into wider circles of recognition — one for a molecule that may offer new hope to cancer patients long excluded from existing therapies, another for a seat at Europe's table on the thermodynamics of a sustainable future. These are not merely institutional honors; they are markers of a quiet but meaningful shift in where scientific leadership is taking root. Portugal, long on the periphery of Europe's research map, is increasingly being drawn toward its center.
- Patients with aggressive cancers like pancreatic and triple-negative breast cancer often have no targeted therapy options — COMBEAT was designed precisely for them, attacking two DNA repair pathways at once to kill tumors regardless of genetic profile.
- The molecule's ability to amplify conventional chemotherapy raises the possibility of lower doses and fewer devastating side effects — a meaningful shift in how treatment could feel for patients, not just how it performs in data.
- Early safety results clear a critical threshold, moving COMBEAT closer to human trials and signaling to pharmaceutical partners and funders that the science is ready for serious investment.
- Across the same week, a young Porto engineer was unanimously elected into a European thermodynamics working group, placing Portuguese expertise at the heart of debates over carbon capture, hydrogen, and sustainable energy.
- Together, the two recognitions position the University of Porto as an emerging force in both oncology and chemical engineering — strengthening the case for deeper EU research collaboration and funding.
In May, a pharmacology researcher at the University of Porto's Faculty of Pharmacy, Lucília Saraiva, received an Honorable Mention at the Basinnov Innovation Award 2026 for the COMBEAT project — work that targets one of cancer's most fundamental survival strategies. Cancer cells repair their own damaged DNA; COMBEAT develops a molecule that shuts down two of those repair pathways simultaneously, leaving tumor cells genetically unstable and unable to survive.
What distinguishes the approach is its reach. Most existing targeted therapies depend on patients carrying specific genetic mutations like BRCA variants. COMBEAT works independently of those markers, potentially opening treatment to patients who currently fall outside the narrow profiles that drugs are designed for. In preclinical models of pancreatic, ovarian, triple-negative breast, and castration-resistant prostate cancers, the compound showed strong anti-tumor and anti-metastatic results. It also appears to enhance the effect of conventional chemotherapy — suggesting that lower doses, and therefore fewer side effects, may become possible. Early safety data has been encouraging, a necessary step toward human trials.
The award was presented at the Convent of Saint Francis in Coimbra, at a gathering of Portugal's leading voices in health innovation and biotechnology. The ceremony included discussions on the long, difficult road from laboratory discovery to clinical treatment — and the recognition itself serves as a signal to funders and international partners that this research merits serious attention.
The same week brought a second distinction. Pedro Velho, an engineering researcher who completed his doctorate in 2025, was unanimously appointed as a Guest Early Career Member to the European Federation of Chemical Engineering's Working Party on Thermodynamics and Transport Properties — a decision made during a major applied thermodynamics conference in Tróia. His work applies thermodynamic principles to challenges like carbon capture, hydrogen production, and sustainable energy systems. The appointment reflects a broader pattern: Portuguese universities are no longer simply participating in European science, but beginning to help shape its direction.
In May, a research team from the University of Porto received formal recognition for work that could reshape how doctors treat some of the most stubborn cancers. The COMBEAT project, led by Lucília Saraiva, a pharmacology researcher at the university's Faculty of Pharmacy, earned an Honorable Mention at the Basinnov Innovation Award 2026—a prize that spotlights breakthrough therapies in oncology and immunology.
The project centers on a single, elegant idea: cancer cells survive by repairing their damaged DNA. COMBEAT targets this survival mechanism by developing a molecule that blocks two essential repair pathways simultaneously. When both pathways shut down, the cancer cells become genetically unstable and die. What makes this approach significant is that it works regardless of whether a patient carries BRCA mutations—the genetic markers that currently limit the effectiveness of many existing treatments. In other words, the therapy could help patients who fall outside the narrow genetic profiles that current drugs are designed for.
Preclinical testing has shown the compound works. In laboratory models of pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer, triple-negative breast cancer, and castration-resistant prostate cancer, the molecule demonstrated strong anti-tumor and anti-metastatic activity. Beyond killing cancer cells, it also appears to amplify the effect of conventional chemotherapy, which means doctors might be able to use lower doses and spare patients some of the brutal side effects that come with standard treatment. The safety profile in early testing has been promising—a crucial threshold for any drug moving toward human trials.
The award ceremony took place in May at the Convent of Saint Francis in Coimbra, drawing together Portugal's leading figures in health innovation and biotechnology. The event included a presentation on recent advances in cancer immunotherapy and a panel discussion about the journey from laboratory discovery to patient treatment—a gap that remains one of the hardest in modern medicine to bridge. The recognition matters not only because it validates the science but because it signals to funding bodies, pharmaceutical partners, and the international research community that this work deserves investment and attention.
The same week, another University of Porto researcher, Pedro Velho from the Faculty of Engineering, was appointed as a Guest Early Career Member to the European Federation of Chemical Engineering's Working Party on Thermodynamics and Transport Properties. The appointment came by unanimous vote during a meeting in Tróia, at one of Europe's major applied thermodynamics conferences. Velho, who completed his doctorate in 2025, has been working on how thermodynamic principles apply to contemporary chemical engineering challenges—areas like carbon capture, hydrogen production, and sustainable energy. His inclusion in this European working group reflects growing international recognition of Portuguese research capacity and signals that the country's universities are becoming genuine partners in shaping the future of European science.
Notable Quotes
The compound demonstrates a promising safety profile and strong capacity to enhance the effectiveness of conventional treatments while reducing therapeutic doses and minimizing adverse effects— COMBEAT project description
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
What makes this DNA repair inhibitor different from therapies already on the market?
Current drugs often work only for patients with specific genetic mutations—BRCA mutations, for instance. This compound works by a different logic entirely. It doesn't care about your genetic profile. It just shuts down two repair pathways at once, which forces the cancer cell to collapse. That's a much broader net.
And the preclinical results—what do those actually tell us about whether this will work in people?
They're encouraging but they're not a promise. We've shown the molecule kills cancer cells in the lab and in animal models. It doesn't seem to poison healthy cells at the doses tested. But there's always a gap between the petri dish and the patient. The next step is human trials, which is years away.
Why does it matter that this was recognized by a European award rather than just a Portuguese one?
Because it signals that this isn't a local curiosity. European funding bodies, pharmaceutical companies, international collaborators—they all pay attention to these prizes. It opens doors. It says to the world: this research is worth watching.
The safety profile being promising—what does that actually mean in practical terms?
It means the compound didn't cause unexpected organ damage or toxicity in the models tested. It means you might be able to give it to patients without destroying their liver or kidneys in the process. That's the baseline. Everything else is bonus.
How does reducing the dose of conventional chemotherapy change the patient experience?
Chemotherapy is brutal. It kills cancer cells but it also damages healthy cells—your gut lining, your bone marrow, your hair follicles. If you can achieve the same anti-tumor effect with a lower dose, patients suffer less. They might keep their hair. They might not spend weeks nauseated. That's not a small thing.