16-12-2025
Congratulations to João Matos on completing his MSc in Molecular Genetics and Biomedicine! João carried out his thesis under the supervision of Ana Rita Grosso from the Computational Multi-Omics Lab (DCV) and Vanda Póvoa from the Rita Fior Lab (Champalimaud Research).
His work investigated how triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) responds to anti-angiogenic therapy and how interactions within the tumor microenvironment drive treatment resistance. Using zebrafish xenografts and optimized single-cell sequencing strategies, he identified key tumor states and revealed an inflammatory reprogramming induced by VEGF-A blockade. This research sheds light on how altered cell communication and extracellular matrix dynamics can foster immune-mediated resistance, offering new avenues for improving TNBC therapies.
