Biomarker laboratory in Portugal opens at University of Porto

A new biomarker laboratory in Portugal, Biomarkers 360, opens on 21 October at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto (FMUP). It is funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) with about 2.1 million euros and run by FMUP and the RISE-Health research unit, which is based at the faculty.

The laboratory is meant to support research on new biomarkers and on established ones that could be used in clinical practice. Its work also covers neurology, psychiatry, oncology and infectious diseases, beyond genetic conditions. Joana Marques, who coordinates the laboratory with Rita Barros, expects the results to have a practical effect on people’s lives and health.

Equipment at the biomarker laboratory in Portugal

The headline equipment is an immunoassay platform that the faculty describes as innovative at national level. It detects neurological biomarkers in blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid or other body fluids. Analysis takes two to three hours. The markers include neurofilament light chain, phosphorylated tau and beta-amyloid, which are linked to Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis.

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A long-read DNA sequencer detects genetic and epigenetic changes, such as DNA methylation, directly. Two next-generation sequencers focus on oncology and can detect circulating tumour cells from a single blood sample.

Why it matters

The source presents the laboratory as a bridge between clinical research and healthcare institutions. Rita Barros says the combined tools could speed up the identification of new biomarkers and support more precise diagnoses. The source does not yet report outcomes, so the practical effect remains to be shown. Readers following Portugal’s science and regulation agenda can also read our piece on the INOV@INFARMED network.

Source: Campus e Comunidade, University of Porto, 15 October 2026