Bio-PhysNano – Biophysics and Nanosystems Group
Margarida Godinho
The main goal of the BioPhysics and Nanosystems Group is to understand and to improve the characterization of biosystems by studying them as physical systems, and to develop adequate instrumentation and theoretical tools.
The group is organized in 2 sub-groups :
* MagNano (Magnetism & Nanosystems) is a team with a large experience in magnetism, electronic/atomic configuration studies and in the development of nanotechnology methods and techniques, recently focused on biological systems and applications
* PBS (Physics of Biological Systems) was created in 2008 as the first FCT research group in physics of biological systems, with protein physics as its major focus. On-going research includes other topics in complex systems, using analytic and computational methods rooted in statistical or quantum physics
Each team has independent scientific aims using the approach of physics in different ways to tackle relevant issues and innovative applications in biology and in health. The MagNano team develops experimental/theoretical research centred in the study of electronic properties of nanostructured systems, and nanoscale experiments using atomic force microscopy related techniques. The PBS team develops coarse-graining and computational methods for theoretical analysis that provide a unique contribution to the understanding of biological systems.
Bio-PhysNano is the core group of the BioPhys thematic line, but its researchers are involved in all other thematic lines either through joint projects or sharing of facilities.
Team
PI’s: Margarida Godinho | Ana Nunes | Benedito Cabral | J. Pires Marques | M. Margarida Cruz | Patrícia Faísca | Liliana Ferreira | Mário Rodrigues
Other integrated members: Margarida Pires | Thomas Gasche | António Casaca | M. Estrela Jorge
Post- Docs: Ana Carapeto | Jules Morand
PhD Students: Rui Loureiro (BioSYS | João Pedro Santos (BioSYS – with BTR) | Miguel Vitorino (DAEPHYS) | Rodrigo Antunes
MSc Students: Arthur Vieira (Physics Engineering) | Joao Especial (Physics) | Elsa Teixeira (Physics) | Gabriel Martins (Chemistry)
Recent Publications
J. Loureiro, D. Vila-Viçosa, M. Machuqueiro, E. I. Shakhnovich, P.N. Faísca, “A tail of two tails: The importance of unstructured termini in the aggregation pathway of beta-2 microglobulin”, Proteins: Structure, Function and Bioinformatics 85, 2045 (2017)
M. Cruz, L. P. Ferreira, J. Ramos, S. G. Mendo, A. F. Alves, M. Godinho and M. D. Carvalho, “Enhanced magnetic hyperthermia of CoFe2O4 and MnFe2O4 nanoparticles”, Journal of Alloys and Compounds 703, 370 (2017)
Alichandra Castro, Jacobo Morère, Albertina Cabañas, Liliana P. Ferreira, Margarida Godinho, Paula Ferreira and Paula M. Vilarinho, “Designing nanocomposites using supercritical CO2 to insert Ni nanoparticles into the pores of nanopatterned BaTiO3 thin films”, J. Mater. Chem. C 5, 1083 (2017)
Wilhelm, E. Gruber, J. Schwestka, R. Kozubek, T.I. Madeira, J. P. Marques, J. Kobus, A.V. Krasheninnikov, M. Schleberger, and F. Aumayr, “Highly charged ion neutralization and de-excitation driven by multiple interatomic coulombic decay”, Phys. Rev. Lett 119, 103401 (2017)
Miguel V. Vitorino, A. Vieira, Mário S Rodrigues, “Effect of sliding friction in harmonic oscillators”, Scientific Reports, 7:3726 (2017)
J. Cabral, “Dynamics, magnetic properties, and electron binding energies of H2O2 in water”, J. Chem. Phys., 146, 234502 (2017)