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GOTECH Antimicrobial is currently working on its first device, the GOcap®️ – a catheter cap that prevents infections in haemodialysis patientes. This cap contains graphene, which has an antibacterial effect when irradiated with near infrared (NIR) light.
Meet our team: learn more about the faces behind the innovation.
Inês C. Gonçalves: co-founder and CEO of GOTECH Antimicrobial. Microbiologist with a PhD in Biomedical Engineering and 20+ years’ experience in biomaterials for antimicrobial and cardiovascular applications. Principal Investigator at i3S in Porto, Portugal, Leader of the Advanced Graphene Biomaterials Group, and board member of the Iberian Society of Biomechanics and Biomaterials (SIBB).
From 2010 to 2021 she was invited professor at University of Porto (FEUP and at ICBAS), teaching in Bioengineering Masters. Inês has led 12 research and innovation projects, ranging from fundamental science to translational applications. Inês has been involed in the organization of 21 national/international conferences and in numerous activities of public awareness of science.
Inês co-authored 41 papers in international journals (H-index 23, 1894 citations; source: Scopus ID 7006107771) and 4 book chapters, and has 6 filled patents (1 already granted). Her work was presented in >120 communications in international conferences. She has supervised 4 Post-Docs (2 ongoing), 12 research assistants (1 ongoing), 5 PhD students (1 ongoing) and 15 MSc students (1 ongoing).
Her work has been recognized with several national and international awards, including “Pulido Valente Science Prize”, the “Medal of Honor L’Oreal for Women in Science”, the “Innovator Award” from Wellcome Trust, and “Dona Antónia Revelação” Prize.
Co-founder and COO&CSO of GOTECH Antimicrobial. Bioengineer with a PhD in Biomedical Engineering and 10 years’ experience in graphene biomaterials for antimicrobial applications. Patrícia is fully dedicated to the valorization of the graphene light-activated technology that GOTECH Antimicrobial is exploring and that she developed during her PhD.
Patrícia has had research positions at INEB and LEPABE/FEUP, working on the development of antimicrobial surfaces. Patrícia published 12 scientific papers, presented her work in > 30 international conferences, and supervised 5 students.
In 2022, Patrícia pivoted and committed to the valorization of the technology behind the GOcap. She is co-inventor of 2 filed patents (1 in PCT stage), and engaged in 7 tech transfer programs, receiving the 1st prize in the EIT Health RIS Innovation Call 2023 and the 2nd prize in the health category from EIT Jumpstarter 2021. Patrícia has a certification in “Tech Transfer Leadership in Life Sciences” and in “new European Medical Device Regulation 2017/754”.
Patrícia has been involved in the writing and management of several awarded innovation projects from international funding agencies in very competitive calls.
Orlando Frazão, PhD in Physics, is a Senior Researcher at Optoelectronics and Electronic Systems Unit, INESC Porto. He is member of the Optical Society of America (OSA) and of the International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE). He has published more than 200 scientific papers, and his expertise includes optical fiber sensors and optical communications. Professor Frazão is GOTECH’s scientific collaborator in optics and eletronics.
Manuel Pestana, MD with a Ph.D. in Medicine, is the Head of the Nephrology Department at Centro Hospitalar Universitário São João (CHUSJ), the central hospital of Porto, and the Director of the Valongo Dialysis Clinic. He is the coordinator of the Nephrology and Infeccious Diseases R&D group at i3S – Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, and full professor at the Faculty of Medicine of University of Porto.
Manuel Pestana also served as a consultant for the Ministries of Health and Defense of Portugal, was the President of the Scientific Council of the Portuguese Society of Nephrology, and of the Ethics Committee at UP, currently serving as President of the Ethics Committee at i3S. As a KOL, he has facilitated the interaction with other clinicians and industrial partners, greatly contributing for the project development. Professor Pestana is GOTECH’s clinical advisor and collaborator in nephrology.
James Greene serves as CEO and member of the Board of Directors for MedLumics, bringing 30 years of extensive operational experience in medical device design, development, and commercialization. Prior to joining MedLumics, James Greene was a Partner in Seroba Life Sciences Limited, a Dublin based venture capital firm. He is a serial entrepreneur, founding multiple medical device start-ups in the cardiovascular field, serving as CEO of Verso Technologies, Inc., Apica Cardiovascular Ltd., Advanced Medical Technologies, Inc. (APK), and MitralSolutions, Inc. Earlier in his career, Jim held Director level positions at global medical device companies such as Medtronic, AVE, and Guidant. His wide network has helped GOTECH Antimicrobial find the right partners to proceed with the development of the GOcap®.
Luis Ruiz-Avila is CEO at Aquilón Cyl and Leukos Biotech, business adviser to Biointaxis and a mentor in the EIT Health Mentor & Coaching Network. Luis Ruiz-Avila has a long career as the CEO of several biomedical and biotech start-ups, including ERA Biotech, Advancell, TCD Pharma, Archivel Farma and Spherium Biomed. He brings extensive business experience, particularly in founding and mentoring startups in MedTech, helping defining the management strategy and business model of GOTECH Antimicrobial.
One of the patented technologies that GOTECH Antimicrobial is exploring for the development of the GOcap® and other products originates from the PhD work of Patrícia Henriques, performed at i3S/INEB under the supervision of Inês Gonçalves.
The GOcap® started its development with competitive funds secured through i3S/INEB (around 1 Million €), and joint projects between GOTECH Antimicrobial and i3S/INEB are currently ongoing.
Inês Gonçalves, CEO of GOTECH Antimicrobial, is Leader of a Research Group at i3S on Advanced Graphene Biomaterials. Her group is composed by several young and senior researchers with expertise in development of biomaterials and medical devices for antimicrobial and cardiovascular applications.
This strategic collaboration provides GOTECH Antimicrobial access to vanguard scientific knowhow, human resources, facilities, and equipment.
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