Cláudia Almeida Silva, a researcher at CMEMS, was awarded the Young Researcher Award at the European Materials Research Society Fall Meeting 2025 (E-MRS Fall Meeting 2025), which took place in Warsaw, Poland, between 15 and 18 September 2025.

The PhD student in Materials Engineering, who conducts her research under the supervision of Dr Margarida M. Fernandes and Dr Vanessa F. Cardoso, was honoured for her article “Detection of Protease Activity using a Paper-based Sensor”.

According to the author, ‘this work describes the development of a paper-based colorimetric sensor, functionalised to detect the activity of proteases, virulence factors secreted by pathogenic bacteria associated with various diseases, such as cancer and infections.’

‘The article presents the design and manufacture of the sensor, including its functionalisation and application in biological assays. It also presents the detection limits achieved, highlighting the potential of this technology as a simple, portable and low-cost solution for monitoring virulent activity in biomedical and environmental contexts,’ adds Cláudia Silva.

The award was also accompanied by financial support to strengthen and encourage the continuation of his research activities.

This work is part of a broader project on the mechanobiology of plant and animal biological entities, which is part of the CMEMS strategic project.