(Chemical) Bonding is what makes life possible

Beatriz Topa, MSc Student
LAQV/REQUIMTE - Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto

Beatriz Topa is currently pursuing her MSc in Medical Physics at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto. With a BSc in Physics, she has a solid background in both theoretical and experimental aspects of physics. Her research interests focus on applying physics principles to medical and life sciences, with a particular focus on nanotechnology and laser applications.

Beatriz has completed an internship on the simulation of ultra-short laser pulse propagation without the Slowly Varying Envelope Approximation (SVEA), specifically in the context of nonlinear phenomena. She also participated in two summer schools centered on the use of lasers in medicine and life sciences, further expanding her knowledge in this field.

Currently, her research involves developing and optimizing gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-based detection assays for identifying specific mutations in exon 19 of the EGFR gene, which is crucial for non-small cell lung cancer diagnostics. This work combines various nanoparticle characterization techniques, including UV-Vis, NTA, and DLS/ELS.

Beatriz’s research achievements include a poster presentation on her AuNP project, for which she was awarded Best Poster Presentation at the 17th edition of IJUP.