In the near future, the application of Biomaterials and Nanotechnology to the health area will take Medicine to a new level. NanoMedicine is a designation given to a set of three scientific areas whose common denominator is the use of physical, chemical and biological properties that are often unique to materials at the micro and nanoscale. These areas are: nanodiagnosis (in vitro diagnosis and in vivo imaging); nanotherapy (targeted delivery and controlled drug release); and regenerative medicine (tissue engineering and cell therapies).
The importance of using Biomaterials and Nanotechnology in the development of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) is recognized by the European Medicines Agency in its strategic reflection for 2025 (https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/regulatory-procedural-guideline/e...) that highlights the importance that these emerging technologies will have in future health care.
The master's faculty consists of a group of experienced professors, belonging to highly regarded research centers, proficient in coordinating teams and research projects and as advisors of master's and doctoral students.
Objectives
The Master in Biomaterials and NanoMedicine is a unique course in Portugal and with unusual characteristics in the international context. It aims at training masters students with advanced multidisciplinary knowledge in the fields of Materials with Biomedical applications and Nanotechnologies for the processing of materials and production of devices with applications to Biomedicine, such as:
- new biosensors for the early detection of disease markers using non-invasive methods;
- contrast agents for medical imaging diagnosis;
- new ways of encapsulating and controlling the delivery of drugs that can increase their effective effectiveness and mitigate effects;
- creation of bio-synthetic organs and tissues for clinical application and as in vitro models for testing the safety and efficacy of new drugs and cosmetics.
Additionally, the masters in Biomaterials and NanoMedicine acquire skills to design and conduct scientific projects and experiments and to interpret the respective results and communicate effectively in an academic and business environment.
Curriculum
Career opportunities
Masters in Biomaterials and NanoMedicine acquire a unique set of knowledge and skills that makes them essential both in research groups dedicated to these areas and in industries with high economic impact to meet the need for a developing market with exponential innovation, like: medical devices, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and bio-synthetic tissues and organs industries.
Schedule
Day time
Tuition Fees
Portuguese students: 1500 €/year
Foreign students: 7000 €/year
Applications
1st phase: 12th February to 22nd March 2024
2nd phase: 3rd June to 17th july 2024
3rd phase: 20th August to 6th September 2024
Acceptance rate in masters
Accepted applicants will have to pay (within a maximum of 7 consecutive days from the date of placement) a non-refundable rate of 100 euros, which will be deducted, after registration, from the total tuition fee. Any payment made after the deadline will not be refunded, leaving the candidate excluded.
Applications
International Applications
Entrance requirements for the 2024/2025 academic year
Vacancies for 2024/2025:
24
Admission rules:
- Holders of a 1st degree (licenciado or legal equivalent) in the areas of Engineering Sciences, Exact Sciences or Natural Sciences;
- Holders of a foreign higher academic degree conferred after a 1st cycle of studies organized in the above areas, in accordance with the principles of the Bologna Process by a State adhering to this Process;
- Holders of a foreign higher academic degree, in those areas, that is recognized as meeting the objectives of the degree of licenciado by the Scientific Council of the NOVA FCT;
- Holders of an academic, scientific or professional curriculum recognized by the Scientific Council of the NOVA FCT, under proposal of the Scientific Committee of the programme, as testifying the ability to carry out this programme.
Ranking:
Course classification;
Academic and scientific curriculum;
Motivation letter;
Possible interview.
Course coordinator:
Luís Branco
mbnm.coordenador@fct.unl.pt
Accreditation and Registration
A3ES
- Publication date of the accreditation decision: 09/09/2020
Period of validity of the accreditation: 6 years from 31/07/2020
DGES
- Registration number R/A-Cr 147/2020 on 02/10/2020
A multidisciplinary master's
The Master in Biomaterials and Nanomedicine is a joint initiative of the Life Sciences, Materials Science, Physics and Chemistry departments. The multidisciplinary nature of the master's scientific area led these 4 departments to put their professors and research groups and infrastructures in the areas of Biomaterials and Nanomedicine at the service of the students of this Master's degree.
The master's faculty are a group of skilled professors, belonging to research centers of recognized merit, with experience in coordinating research teams and projects and mentoring master's and doctoral students.
A multidisciplinary master's
About the Department of Chemistry
The Department of Chemistry is a permanent organic unity of the NOVA School of Science and Technology, devoted to teaching, to scientific research and to provide services in areas of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Chemical Engineering. The Chemistry Department (DQ, founded in 1981, has recognized market implementation in education and employment, particularly so because of the novelty and specificity introduced by the course in Applied Chemistry with which teaching at the School of Chemistry began.
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About the Department of Life Sciences
The Department of Life Sciences (Departamento de Ciências da Vida - DCV) focuses its activity on teaching and research in fundamental Biology relevant for application in Biotechnology and Biomedicine.
DCV is responsibel for BSc's Courses - Licenciatura em Biologia Celular e Molecular (1st Cycle), MSc's - Mestrado em Genética molecular e Biomedicina (2nd Cycle) and PhD Program in Biology and PhD Program in Biotechnology (Co-coordination with DQ/NOVA FCT), while collaborating in several other courses with NOVA.
DCV is organised in a single Scientific Section, grouping the scientific ares of Microbiology, Genetics and Cell Biology. Research at DCV is integrated into International and National collaborative efforts in the areas of Microbiology, Human and Molecular Genetics, Biotechnology, Nanobiotechnology and Cell Biology.
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About the Department of Materials Science
The Department of Materials Science (DCM), NOVA School of Science and Technology, was the first to be created nationally in 1976 at the initiative of its first president, Prof. Leopoldo Guimarães. The initial aim was to create university extension courses in the field of materials leading to the creation of a root degree covering a wide range of scientific areas, including metallurgy, semiconductor materials, polymeric materials and mesomorph, ceramic materials and crystals, crystal chemistry and quality control.
Since then the Department of Materials Science has grown and diversified its activities, mainly due to the efforts of its faculty and staff, embodied in a large number of projects (academic and industrial) funded by National, European and International authorities. This allowed its modern adaptation to new technologies, providing for such a unique laboratory infrastructure in Portugal, for teaching and research, internationally recognized and that has allowed to form Material Science Engineers of high scientific quality , able to respond to current society's demands.
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About the Department of Physics
The Physics Department (DF), formally created in 1986, was a pioneer in Portugal in teaching Physics Engineering. Presently, the DF carries out its teaching activities (1st, 2nd and 3rd cycles), fundamental and applied research and technological development in the fields of Physics, Physical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering. It is also dedicated to providing services and to scientific dissemination in these fields.
The department's scientific activity is essentially carried out in two research units, LIBPhys-UNL and CEFITEC. Research covers several areas, such as atomic and molecular physics, nuclear and plasma physics, surface and interface physics, laser and vacuum physics, instrumentation, analytical techniques applied to health and cultural heritage, medical instrumentation, medical imaging, machine learning, biosignals and tissue engineering.
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