FARDILHA'S
LAB

We are thrilled to announce the publication of our new article, "Internationalisation at Home: Evaluating Pedagogical Outcomes in a Cross-Continental COIL Experience," in the Journal of Science Education and Technology (Springer Nature). Through a longitudinal study involving students across four academic cohorts (2022–2025) from the University of Aveiro (Portugal), São Paulo State University (UNESP), and Padre Albino University Centre (UNIFIPA), we explored the impact of Col

We are thrilled to announce the publication of our new article, "Sociodemographic and clinical predictors of malignancy in thyroid nodules: a systematic review and meta-analysis," in the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology. Through a systematic review and meta-analysis of 194 observational studies, we assessed the sociodemographic, laboratory, and ultrasonographic predictors of malignancy in thyroid nodules, identifying specific factors, such as solid composition, irregular ma

We are thrilled to announce the publication of our new article, "Unravelling deregulated metabolites in seminal plasma of infertile men: a systematic review and bioinformatic analysis," in the journal Journal of Molecular Medicine. Through a systematic review of 20 metabolomic studies, we assessed the seminal plasma metabolome of healthy and infertile men, identifying specific deregulated metabolites linked to conditions such as asthenozoospermia and obesity. These findings e

We are thrilled to announce the publication of our new article, "Insights into Environmental Mercury Exposure Based on Biomonitoring of 150 Women of Reproductive Age," in the journal Exposure and Health. Over a 10-year study in Portugal, we assessed hair mercury levels in 150 women and found that 38% exceeded the US EPA safety threshold, a result strongly linked to frequency of fish consumption and geographic region. These findings emphasise that environmental exposures are i

We are pleased to share our latest publication in Toxicology and Environmental Health Sciences: "Environmental and lifestyle risk assessment in perinatal healthcare: a national survey of portuguese professionals." To understand how environmental factors are addressed during the periconceptional period, we surveyed Portuguese perinatal healthcare providers. While smoking and alcohol are routinely screened, we found a significant gap in assessing environmental risks (like chemi

Dr Magda Henriques and Dr Joana Santiago participated in the University of Aveiro’s podcast Programa in the episode entitled O Corpo em Transformação: Infertilidade Masculina. The podcast is produced by the University of Aveiro’s Communication, Image and Public Relations Services (SCIRP) and hosted by Elsa Santos and João Afonso Correia. Alongside Dr Magda Henriques and Dr Joana Santiago, the episode also featured Pedro Oliveira as a guest.

As scientific breakthroughs continue to push boundaries and unveil new possibilities, our understanding of the human body's transformations grows deeper. We are incredibly proud to share that Dr. Magda Henriques and Dr. Joana Santiago were featured in the June edition of the +Ciência section. The article highlights their vital research on how aging impacts male infertility, shedding light on a critical aspect of reproductive health in today's evolving scientific landscape. Re

We are pleased to share our latest publication in the World Journal of Urology: "Integrating lifestyle and clinical data in prostate cancer: expert assessment of a questionnaire." Given the growing evidence of how lifestyle impacts prostate cancer progression, our team developed a comprehensive questionnaire to assess these critical factors. Validated by a multidisciplinary panel of experts across urology, family medicine, epidemiology, and public health, the tool demonstrate

We are pleased to share that a study developed by researchers at the University of Aveiro has been highlighted by the University, reporting promising findings on novel experimental peptides with potential relevance for prostate cancer research. The study shows that bioportides targeting Protein Phosphatase 1 (PP1)—an enzyme implicated in prostate cancer progression and resistance to hormonal therapies—can significantly reduce the viability of prostate cancer cells. This effec

We are pleased to share our latest publication in the Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry: “Exploring the effects of lifelong aerobic exercise on early skeletal muscle remodeling between 8 and 14 months in the rat” Our findings show that lifelong aerobic exercise mitigates early age-related skeletal muscle decline, preserving muscle mass, mitochondrial function, and metabolic balance—highlighting the importance of early interventions in preventing sarcopenia. Congratulatio

We are pleased to share that the project led by Dr. Joana Santiago has been featured by the University of Aveiro. The FERTI$CAN project aims to develop an innovative molecular-based method to complement conventional diagnostic tools for male infertility. While male factors contribute to around half of all infertility cases, diagnosis remains largely dependent on semen analysis assessing concentration, motility and morphology. In a significant proportion of cases, results fal

We are pleased to share that our latest research, “Proteomic dynamics of bull sperm during post-testicular maturation,” has been published in BMC Genomics by Inês Leites, Patrícia Diniz, Margarida Fardilha , Joana Santiago , Graça Ferreira-Dias, Luís Lopes-da-Costa, and Elisabete Silva. This study provides a comprehensive proteomic characterisation of bovine sperm throughout epididymal transit, revealing dynamic metabolic reprogramming, vesicle-mediated interactions during

Under the framework of the SpermXYSort project, members of Fardilha’s Lab, together with Prof. Bruno Colaço and Cândida Cruz, visited the rabbit breeding facility at Sociedade Agrícola Fonte do Ouro. Our primary objective was to engage with the producer to understand the current challenges in reproduction. Since our project is dedicated to developing a novel sperm sexing method, these on-site insights are critical for tailoring our approach to optimize breeding efficiency whi

We are pleased to share the publication of the article “Screening anticancer peptides performance in organotypic prostate tumor–stroma 3D models” by Bárbara Matos, Maria V. Monteiro, Matilde R. Lagarto, John Howl, Carmen Jerónimo, Vítor M. Gaspar, João F. Mano and Margarida Fardilha, published in the International Journal of Cancer. This study addresses prostate cancer as a persistent therapeutic challenge and explores the potential of anticancer peptides targeting protein–p

We are pleased to announce the publication of the article “Galectin-3 (Gal-3) Inhibitors as Radiosensitizers for Prostate Cancer” by Renato M. Rodrigues, Bárbara Matos, Vera Miranda-Gonçalves, Carmen Jerónimo and Margarida Fardilha, published in Therapeutics (2026, 3(1), 7). In this study, we addressed radioresistance as a major therapeutic challenge in prostate cancer by investigating the role of Galectin-3 (Gal-3) and the impact of its pharmacological inhibition using GB11

We are pleased to share that Joana Santiago , researcher at Fardilha's Laboratory - Institute of Biomedicine, University of Aveiro , took part in an episode of the “90 Seconds of Science” podcast, where she discussed the FERTI$CAN project and its contribution to improving the diagnosis and prognosis of male infertility. The project focuses on identifying sperm biomarkers to support more accurate and personalised fertility treatments, and is funded by the Portuguese Foundati

We are pleased to share that Professor Margarida Fardilha and Renato M. Rodrigues are now members of the new Pedagogical Council , which officially took office on 10 December 2025 . This appointment reflects our continued commitment to advancing high-quality teaching, strengthening pedagogical innovation, and enhancing the academic experience within our institution. We look forward to contributing to a collaborative, student-centred and excellence-driven educational environ

We are thrilled to share our latest contribution to the field of toxicology and environmental health, titled "Hazard identification and characterization of leachable chemicals from plastic products – a new PARC project." As part of the European Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC), this work focuses on a critical challenge of our time: understanding the chemical mixtures leaching from everyday plastic products and their potential impact on human healt

We are proud to share that our systematic review, Exposure to mercury and human reproductive health: A systematic review (Henriques, M.C., Loureiro, S., Fardilha, M., Herdeiro, M.T.; Reproductive Toxicology, 85:93–103), has been cited in a recent report by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL). The report warns that chemical pollution is driving a growing men’s health crisis in Europe, with increasing rates of prostate and testicular cancer and male infertility linked to

The University of Aveiro (UA) has recognised the outstanding contributions of Prof. Margarida Fardilha and Catarina Leitão by awarding them for their innovative project “NISA – Level Up to Integrate: Digital Strategies for Academic Success” , as part of the “Incentives for Pedagogical Innovation Projects – More Digital Boost” competition. The project aims to enhance academic success through the development and implementation of digital strategies that support student learning

Our recent paper, “Exploring the feasibility of PP1-docking motif-mimetic cell-penetrating peptides for modulating prostate carcinogenesis” , investigates how PP1-docking motif–mimetic peptides can be used as a novel strategy to modulate prostate cancer progression . The study bridges molecular mechanisms and translational therapeutic perspectives , highlighting the potential of targeting PP1-regulatory interactions as an innovative approach in prostate cancer biology. This

Our recent paper, “Mercury exposure and male fertility: Studying the impact of environmental bioaccumulation on semen quality”, explores how environmental mercury exposure may affect male reproductive health. The study examines the biological mechanisms of mercury bioaccumulation and its potential influence on semen parameters, highlighting the broader implications of environmental contaminants on human fertility. This work contributes to the growing body of evidence linking

Join us online on Friday, 24 October (14:30–18:30) for a unique event that brings together educators, students, and researchers to...

We are pleased to announce our latest article: “Endothelial responses to angiogenic modulators highlight metabolic mechanisms underlying...

We are delighted to announce that Anna Kobrock , PhD candidate in Biomedical Sciences at ICBAS – Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel...

As part of her research at iBiMED – Institute of Biomedicine, University of Aveiro , Professor Margarida Fardilha integrates the...

Prof. Margarida Fardilha, coordinator of the Fardilha's Lab, takes the spotlight in the opening episode of the new season of UA’s...

We are proud to announce the publication of our new study, “Identification of the PP1 interactome in human dental pulp: Insights for...

Prof. Margarida Fardilha , Associate Professor with Habilitation at the Department of Medical Sciences and Coordinator of Fardilha’s...

Fardilha's lab just had published a new systematic review that highlights the effect of nutrition on aging! Congratulations to all the...

A new article is out! Find out more about the most recent work from our group about differentially expressed proteins patterns in the...

We just published a new article to unravel PCa markers in urine. Urine may be a non-invasive sample with prostatic secretions...

The Portuguese Cancer Research Association (ASPIC) highlighted our paper "Photodynamic therapy of prostate cancer using porphyrnic...

We published a new paper ! Find out more about Photodynamic therapy in prostate cancer . Find out more in https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphot...

Modulation of serine/threonine-protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) complexes: a promising approach in cancer treatment This work rigorously reviewes the potential of modulating PP1 complexes in cancer treatment and highlights the need of the precise identification of PP1 complexes in several cancer models, and the molecular characterization of these complexes both in vitro and in vivo, in order to elucidate their therapeutic potential. Authors also st

We published a new paper ! Find out more about Protein agregation patterns in breast cancer . Open Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694...

An entitled study “Brain and testis: more alike than previously thought?” published in Open Biology, from The Royal Society suggests that...

We published a new paper today! Find out more about bovine semen sexing and what are the sperm membrane proteomics candidates for...

Congratulations to the most recent PhD from our lab! Juliana Felgueiras has defended her PhD thesis untitled "Unraveling the interactome...

Our new paper on the "Fighting Bisphenol A-Induced Male Infertility: The Power of Antioxidants" is out. Congratulations to all the...

Congratulations to the authors for the new paper, an outcome from the 2MOVEorNOT2MOVE project! Find out more https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fe...

Our new paper on the "New evidences of ubiquitin–proteasome system activity in human sperm" is out. Authors highlighted that the...

Our new paper from the RUNaway project is out! Chronic exercise training attenuates prostate cancer-induced molecular remodelling in the...

And our most recent papers are out! We would like to congratulate all the authors who have been part of to this success by publishing...

Professor Margarida Fardilha presented the Fardilha's lab work and investigation in male infertility and the cell signal pathways in an...

Congratulations to all the authors, in special to authors from our team Juliana Felgueiras, Joana Vieira Silva and Margarida Fardilha!...

We have the pleasure to announce the most recent book Tissue-Specific Cell Signalling edited by Joana Vieira Silva, Maria João Freitas...

Our latest article in Drug Discovery Today "The mammalian two-hybrid system as a powerful tool for high-throughput drug screening" has...

Our most recent published work by Joana Santiago, Joana Vieira Silva and Margarida Fardilha. Find more in: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067...

A new paper as been published with the participation of Fardilha's Laboratory. Congratulations to all the authors, specially to Juliana...