Co-founder and CEO since 2011, Rui is a hands-on entrepreneur with a track record in Life Sciences and medical devices. He has been pivotal in the creation and strategic management of the company and is the top person responsible for deploying the business and operations of the company. Rui brings technical, business, managerial, and leadership experience from multiple innovation and technology projects.

Vitor is a co-founder, Partner and CFO of Pathena. He serves as a Board Member of several of Pathena's portfolio companies. Vitor started his career at Arthur Andersen in 1997 in the finance, accounting and controllership areas. In 2002 he joined Deloitte as a Manager. In 2003 he assumed the position of CFO at Enabler, a €30M systems integrator firm focused on Oracle retail implementations.

Miguel has a long track record of investment selection and board membership and has been in charge of several reference VC and PE investments in the Portuguese market. Before that, he worked as CFO and Member of the Board of a company listed on the Lisbon Stock Exchange. Currently, he is the Director of Portugal Ventures’ Life Sciences & Med Tech business unit.

Pedro holds a degree in Biochemistry from the University of Coimbra and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the same university in cooperation with Columbia University, USA. He has over 10 years of experience in biomedical research, with a particular focus on nanocarrier development and functionalization for therapeutic application in human disease. Pedro has also solid experience in the primary cell and stem cell isolation/culture, cell-based assays, genome editing, animal surgery, and implementation of laboratory sustainability practices.

Paul is a serial founder and director of human pluripotent stem cell technology companies and former principal investigator at the University of Edinburgh (2005-2021). Following undergraduate and graduate education and postdoctoral training at the Universities of Toronto, Western Ontario and Pennsylvania he joined the Roslin Institute as a group leader for Roslin Biomed (1998–2005), a venture capital funded initiative to advance animal cloning technology that resulted in Dolly the Sheep. Following Biomed’s acquisition by US-based Geron his group was among the first internationally to derive human embryo stem cell lines. He co-founded Roslin Cells (2005-2016) establishing Scotland’s advanced stem cell manufacturing capacity and deriving human pluripotent stem cell lines now used for advanced therapies across Europe. Roslin Cells led the formation of the multi-national European Innovative Medicines Initiative to establish the European Bank for Induced Cells (https://ebisc.org/), for which he led the Hot Start of standardised banking and quality control characterisation. He has also co-founded and served as a scientific advisor to pluripotent stem cell technology contract research service companies (Roslin Cellab 2006-2015; and Censo Biotechnologies 2016 – 2019). 

Fernando holds a degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto. He began working as a hospital pharmacist at Hospital Pedro Hispano, while also completing a specialization in Hospital Pharmacy. Following that, he worked as Site Manager for GE Healthcare Medical Diagnostics, and later for Advanced Accelerator Applications (a spin-off company from CERN). At Stemmatters, Fernando held various positions including Quality Assurance, Pharmacovigilance, and Quality Control Management. He completed a specialization in Pharmaceutical Industry in 2014 becoming an EU-certified Qualified Person.

Joana holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and a master’s degree in Medicinal Chemistry from the University of Minho. She has over 5 years of experience in quality assurance, quality system management, validation and qualification of equipment, systems and processes, and non-conformities management in a GMP environment for vaccines and biological products manufacturing. Joana joined Stemmatters in 2023 as Quality Assurance Manager, to coordinate the company’s management system.

Elsa holds a degree in Biochemistry from the University of Beira Interior. She has extensive expertise in the isolation, expansion, cryopreservation, and storage of umbilical cord blood cells and adipose stem cells. Elsa also has experience in developing, planning, and implementing new processes for contract manufacturing services for cell-based products and biologics, and experience in audits performed by DGS, Infarmed, and clients. She is currently attending the master’s in Molecular Medicine and Oncology at the University of Porto.

Jorge has a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro and started his career as an intern at the Laboratory of Genetics at the Hospital Center of Vila Real. He moved to the Netherlands in 2019, and since then, has been involved in the manufacturing operations of autologous and allogeneic cell and gene therapy (CGT) products, for clinical trial applications. Jorge joined the company in 2022 as a manufacturing manager, to enhance Stemmatters’ manufacturing capabilities.

Ricardo holds a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and a master's degree in Applied Biochemistry from the University of Minho. He has solid knowledge in the field of biomedicine, as well as in molecular biology and genetics areas. Ricardo joined Stemmatters in 2017, where he acquired skills in adipose tissue-derived cell culture, process development, and manufacturing in a cGMP environment. As Quality Control Manager, Ricardo is responsible for supervising the development, implementation, and maintenance of quality control systems and activities.

Cláudia holds a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering and a master's degree in Biomedical Technology from the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança. She acquired expertise in the medical devices field while working as an intern at Novanet®. Claúdia is working at Stemmatters since 2017, where she developed skills in cGMP environmental production, aseptic cell culture, and the production of biomaterials. As Logistics Manager, Cláudia is responsible for the management of supply chain activities.

Francisca holds a master’s degree in Biomedical and Biophysical Engineering from the University of Lisbon. She developed her master’s dissertation at Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences at the Instituto Superior Técnico, acquiring expertise in the field of biomaterials, biotechnology, and cell engineering. Francisca joined Stemmatters as a Junior Manufacturing Assistant where she is developing skills in the cGMP manufacturing of cell-based products and biologics. 

Bruno holds a bachelor's and a master's degree in Biochemistry from the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro. During his academic path, he volunteered at UTAD's bioterium for three years, gaining experience in animal experiment design and handling, along with expertise in histopathology and genotoxicity. Bruno joined Stemmatters as a Junior Manufacturing Assistant where he is developing skills in the cGMP manufacturing of biologics.

Vânia graduated from the Escola Superior de Saúde do Vale do Ave with a professional technical course in Bioanalysis and Control. As part of her course completion, Vânia did an internship at INIAV, where she acquired skills related to planning and executing chemical, microbiological, and biochemical analyses in a laboratory setting. She also gained experience in validating the quality of the analyses, ensuring compliance with safety standards, and collaborating in the maintenance and organization of equipment and the laboratory space. Vânia joined Stemmatters as a Junior Manufacturing Assistant where she is developing skills in the cGMP manufacturing of biologics. 

Ricardo holds a bachelor's degree in Bioengineering from the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro and a master's degree in Biophysics and Bionanosystems from the University of Minho. During his academic path, he gained special expertise in the synthesis and characterization of magnetic and plasmonic nanoparticles for multimodal cancer therapy. Ricardo joined Stemmatters as a Junior Manufacturing Assistant where he is developing skills in the cGMP manufacturing of biologics.

Helena holds a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Beira Interior and a master's degree in Molecular Genetics from the University of Minho. Throughout her professional path, she performed clinical trial data entry at BlueClinical acquiring experience in a clinical research environment. As an intern at the Pharmaceutical Development Unit of Ferraz Pharma, she also gained insights into the pharmaceutical industry. Helena joined Stemmatters as a Junior Manufacturing Assistant where she is developing skills in the cGMP manufacturing of biologics.

Jorge holds a bachelor's degree in Bioanalytical Sciences and a master's degree in Clinical Analysis from the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra. He has solid experience in the isolation and cryopreservation of stem cells from umbilical cord blood and tissue, as well as in the quality control and characterization of cryopreserved samples. For one year Jorge worked in quality control of microalgae cultures, expanding his knowledge in flow cytometry and other laboratory techniques. Joined Stemmatters as a Quality Control Assistant to develop skills in the advanced cell therapies field.

Diana holds a bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology from the Institute Polytechnic of Viana do Castelo and a master’s in Biotechnology for Health Sciences from the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro. She acquired expertise in cellular and molecular biology by developing her master’s dissertation and as a research assistant at Cancer Biology & Epigenetics Group at IPO-Porto. Diana joined Stemmatters as a Quality Control Assistant, where she is developing skills in the development and maintenance of quality control for new cell-based therapies and biological products.

Mariana holds a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro and a master’s in Biotechnology from the University of Minho. During her master´s dissertation, she expanded her knowledge in microbiology, and throughout her professional path, she acquired expertise in molecular biology and genomic sequencing. Mariana joined Stemmatters as a Junior Quality Control Assistant, where she is developing skills in the development and maintenance of quality control for new cell-based therapies and biological products.

Rachel is an immunologist with expertise in T-cell signaling and immune-based therapies. She graduated from the University of Western Australia with a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry and Genetics, followed by a Ph.D. in Infection, Immunology, and Translational Medicine at the University of Oxford. Rachel has more than 10 years of experience in cellular immunology research, including developing TCR-based biospecifics at Immunocore. Rachel joined Stemmatters to help drive forward several cellular immunotherapy projects.

Joana Loureiro holds a PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology, from University of Porto. Throughout her academic career, she gained extensive expertise in in vivo and in vitro modeling of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly through the use of human-derived stem cells and genetic manipulation of mammalian cell lines. Joana joined Stemmatters as Associate Principal Scientist, focusing on adherent cell system development and manufacturing.

Sara is a stem cell biologist with expertise in iPSC technologies and cellular reprogramming. She graduated from the University of Lisbon with a bachelor's in Biochemistry and a master´s in Biotechnology, followed by a Ph.D. in Natural Sciences at the University of Würzburg (Germany). Sara has more than 8 years of experience in stem cell research, including developing gene-edited iPSC-derived cells for R&D, cultivated meat, and clinical translation applications at bit.bio (Cambridge, UK).

Carla Abreu holds a degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, and a Ph.D. in Tissue in Tissue Engineering, Regenerative Medicine & Stem Cells from the University of Minho. She has extensive experience in the isolation, culture and in vitro characterization of mammalian cells, studying cell signaling and exploring strategies to retain the native phenotype of cells in culture. With a professional research record both in academia and industry, Carla joined Stemmatters as a Senior Scientist to work on cell-based therapies for regenerative purposes.

Caroline graduated in Biochemistry and holds a master’s degree in Health Sciences from the University of Minho. She has more than 4 years of experience in the biomedical research field, with a focus on understanding the biological and molecular function of macrophages during lung development. Throughout her academic path and scientific fellowship, she acquired experience in stem cell and cell line culture, isolation and culture of primary cells, ex vivo tissue cultures, cell phenotype characterization, and animal experiment execution.

Sofia holds a bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology from the University of Aveiro and a master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology from University of Coimbra. She acquired solid experience in the isolation, handling, and characterization of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), by developing her master’s dissertation and as a research fellow at the National Institute of Health Dr Ricardo Jorge. Sofia joined Stemmatters as a Junior Scientist, where she is developing skills in cell-based products and therapies. 

 

Clara holds a master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Minho in cooperation with the University of Twente in the Netherlands, and a Ph.D. in Tissue Engineering, Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells from the University of Minho. She was a co-founder of an R&D group focused on biomaterials at the University of Aveiro, having over 10 years of experience in hydrogel systems for cell encapsulation, biomaterials processing, functionalization, and in vitro characterization, as well as in the isolation and manipulation of mammalian cells. Clara also has strong experience in attracting competitive funding to support R&I projects.

Sara is a biochemist with a M.Sc. in Molecular Oncology and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry. Her Ph.D. included an exchange period at the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation as a Fulbright visiting student. With over 8 years of experience in immunomodulatory biomaterial processing and stem cell isolation and manipulation, her research has focused on developing innovative 3D systems for regenerative medicine. Sara has joined Stemmatters as a Senior Scientist, where she integrates the Biomaterials team to help drive forward several biomaterials-related projects

Cristiana graduated in Applied Biology from the University of Minho and has a Ph.D. in Biomedicine from the University of Porto in collaboration with Harvard University. She has a life sciences scientific background by training, with multidisciplinary experience in the fields of tumor biology, tissue engineering, and biomaterial-based medical devices. Cristiana is responsible for project management and implementation, coordination activities for technology transfer operations, guidance for R&D activities and pre-clinical development activities, and liaising communications with academic and business partners to promote collaboration projects.

Bárbara graduated in Biomedical Engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança and has a Ph.D. in Health Sciences from the University of Minho. She has more than 8 years of experience in the biomedical research field with a focus on the use of mesenchymal stem cell-based products as a cell-free therapy for neurodegenerative diseases. Throughout her academic path, she acquired experience in stem cell culture, advanced in vitro models including brain organoids, microscopy analysis, and animal experiments planning and execution. Joined Stemmatters to help in the business and marketing development efforts for the company.

Paula graduated from the Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave with a degree in Fiscal Law. She has extensive experience in administrative, financial, accounting, and management areas acquired by working as a consultant for the Financial and Administrative Departments. Paula has more than 8 years of experience in the management and control of various company processes, from the creation and management of customer and supplier accounts, credit risk analysis, receipts, and payments to the coordination of Human Resources teams.

Hélio holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança and a post-graduation course in Accounting and Finance from the Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave. He is a certified accountant with eight years of experience in the field. Joined Stemmatters as a Financial Controller, where he is helping in management and analytics accounting.

If you would like to be part of our team, please submit a spontaneous application by sending your CV and cover letter to: info@stemmatters.com