Our second-year Master’s student Valentina Radini has just returned from an enriching Erasmus+ exchange at the Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S) in Porto, Portugal, where she joined the Nanomedicines & Translational Drug Delivery Group led by Prof. Bruno Sarmento.
During her stay, she worked on her thesis project focused on integrating endothelial cells into a 3D osteosarcoma model to explore the effects of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF). Her goal was to identify the optimal ratio of endothelial cells relative to osteosarcoma and mesenchymal stem cell lines, using techniques such as brightfield imaging, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, CellTracker assays, and histological analysis.
Beyond the lab, she was captivated by the charm of Porto, its warm hospitality, and – unsurprisingly – its delicious pastéis de nata. Stay tuned for more reflections on Erasmus+ experience of our students!
