Interfibio Research group - URV

Today during our group meeting, we enjoyed the final presentation of Martina Tolós, a Bachelor's student in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, who has spent the last four months working in our laboratory on her Final Degree Project focused on developing a rapid test for Dengue antibody detection.

It was a great opportunity to learn about her work, her achievements, and the skills she has developed during her research stay with us. Congratulations, Martina, on all your hard work, and we wish you every success in your future career! 👏

And since great science deserves a celebration, we also took the opportunity to celebrate the birthdays of several members of the group 🎂🎉.

Research, learning, teamwork, and cake—a perfect combination!

Last Friday, during our Interfibio Group Meeting, Afraa Razouk presented her latest research on "Personalised medicine by using an advanced Point-of-Care tool for stratified treatment in high-risk cardiovascular patients."

Her work aims to contribute to more precise and personalised healthcare by developing innovative diagnostic tools that can support better clinical decision-making for cardiovascular patients.

Beyond science, our group meetings are also an opportunity to strengthen team spirit. We were delighted to celebrate the birthdays of several group members and share some enjoyable moments together.

Research, collaboration, and community—an excellent way to end the week! 🎉

👏 Proud day for the Interfibio Research Group!

Yesterday, our PhD students Afraa Razouk, Elisenda Santaló, Monica Choudhary and Maryam Shafie Zadeh, together with research visitor Giuseppe Lamberti, participated in the 21st Doctoral Day organised by the Doctoral Programme in Nanoscience, Materials and Chemical Engineering, URV .

The event brought together doctoral researchers to share their work, exchange ideas and present their research through poster sessions evaluated by expert scientists.

And we have fantastic news… 🎉
🏆 Afraa Razouk won the 3rd Prize for Best Poster in the Junior Students category!

Congratulations to all our researchers for their great work, dedication and enthusiasm for science. We are very proud of you all! 🚀🔬

Last Friday at the Interfibio group meeting, Maryam Shafie Zadeh presented the latest advances in her project on the development of electrochemical DNA-based biosensors for monitoring infectious diseases.

Her current work focuses on Strongyloidiasis, a neglected tropical parasitic disease that mainly affects regions with poor sanitation, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The disease can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain and anorexia, but diagnosis remains especially challenging.

Current diagnostic methods often rely on microscopic identification of larvae in stool samples, which can be difficult and time-consuming, while serological tests may suffer from cross-reactivity issues.

This is where biosensor technology can make a real difference. By developing sensitive electrochemical DNA-based detection platforms, the project aims to contribute to faster, more accessible and more reliable diagnostic tools for infectious diseases. 🌍🔬

It was great to see the progress of a project that combines biotechnology, electrochemistry and global health challenges with clear potential for real-world impact.

🚀 Proud moment for the Interfibio research group at Universitat Rovira i Virgili.
Prof. Ciara O' Sullivan, director of Interfibio, has been recognised within the top 10% of women researchers in Spain in the latest ranking published by the Cybermetrics Lab of the CSIC. 👏

The ranking evaluated more than 12,500 women researchers across Spain using open scientific data platforms such as Google Scholar, ORCID and OpenAlex. Researchers are assessed through bibliometric indicators including citation impact and h-index, with the initiative aiming to increase the visibility of women leading high-impact scientific research.

At Interfibio, we are proud to see our group’s work in biosensors, diagnostics and biomedical innovation represented in such an impactful ranking. This recognition reflects not only scientific excellence, but also the importance of collaborative research with real-world impact.

Congratulations to Prof. O’Sullivan on this well-deserved achievement!

info: https://diaridigital.urv.cat/es/16-investigadoras-de-la-urv-se-situan-entre-el-10-con-mayor-impacto-del-estado/

In our latest group meeting, Mohga Khater shared exciting progress on the project “Aptamer selection for hormone” in collaboration with Muun Health.

Muun Health is focused on advancing women’s health through data-driven and non-invasive monitoring solutions, aiming to make hormone tracking more accessible and personalized. Within this context, the development of aptamer-based approaches for hormone detection represents a promising step toward more precise and scalable diagnostics.

Great to see how this work is evolving—looking forward to the next milestones!

Last week in our group meeting, Claudio Parolo shared something really important (and super practical!): Target Product Profiles (TPPs) for point-of-care diagnostics.

In simple terms, TPPs help us define what a diagnostic tool should actually look like — not just in the lab, but in real life: how it’s used, how much it costs, and what clinicians and patients really need.

A great reminder that real impact starts by understanding real needs 💡

We are looking for motivated candidates to join the QUADPOC project, working at the intersection of cutting-edge research and real-world impact.

This predoctoral grant offers:
✅ A chance to pursue a PhD in a dynamic research environment
✅ Collaboration with an interdisciplinary team
✅ The opportunity to contribute to innovative solutions with societal relevance

If you’re passionate about research and eager to grow in an international and collaborative setting, this could be your next step.

📩 Applications are now open — don’t miss out!
Info: https://www.interfibio.recerca.urv.cat/en/news/74/predoctoral-fellowship-opportunity-quadpoc-project-apply-now

Today’s group meeting was something special 😊

Barbara Vastenavond introduced us to DISC profiles, helping us better understand how we each communicate, work, and interact. A great reminder that many challenges aren’t about knowledge, but about how we relate to each other — and that a bit more self-awareness can go a long way .

And of course… we couldn’t miss the celebrations 🎉
Happy birthday to our March stars: Elisenda, Maryan and Gianfranco!

Learning + good vibes + cake = perfect combo 🙌

Today, during our group meeting, we had the pleasure of welcoming Maliana El Aamri, a new postdoctoral researcher in the Interfibio group.

Maliana gave a presentation introducing her background, where she studied, and her PhD work titled “Contribution to the Development of Sensitive Biosensors for Clinical Markers,” with a special focus on breast cancer detection.

Beyond the scientific aspects, she also shared the interesting story behind her name, making the session a nice combination of a personal introduction and a technical overview of her research.

Welcome to the team, Maliana!