18-05-2026
Photo: João Lima/NOVA FCT
NOVA FCT has just received the timsTOF Pro 2, a new high-precision scientific instrument that enables highly detailed and rapid analysis of biological samples. With this technology, researchers can deepen their study of proteins — a vital tool for early disease detection, cancer research, the development of more personalised treatments, the study of toxic substances, drug quality control, and the analysis of food quality, safety, and authenticity.
The timsTOF Pro 2 has been allocated to the Laboratory for Biological Mass Spectrometry – Isabel Moura, in the Department of Chemistry at NOVA FCT. Its acquisition resulted from a partnership between the laboratory and the company Bruker, reinforcing the scientific capacity developed within the scope of LAQV.
For José Alferes,NOVA FCT´s Dean, "this equipment places NOVA FCT at the European forefront in scientific infrastructures of this nature, strengthening our capacity to integrate into international networks of excellence. It is undoubtedly a relevant step forward for the advancement of Science, with direct impact on critical areas such as Health, biomedicine, and food safety."
"The timsTOF Pro 2 substantially raises what is possible in our laboratory. The ion mobility of the timsTOF Pro 2 increases the depth and confidence of proteomic identification, and the same platform also supports lipidomic and metabolomic analysis. With the capacity to process between 48 and 60 samples per day without compromising analytical quality, it gives us scale without sacrificing depth," states Hugo Santos, Assistant Researcher at LAQV-REQUIMTE of NOVA FCT and Director of the Laboratory for Biological Mass Spectrometry – Isabel Moura.
This equipment functions as a kind of highly advanced "molecular scanner", capable of detecting and distinguishing thousands of different molecules in a single sample, even when those molecules exist in very small quantities. This level of detail is highly relevant since, in the human body, in food, or in other samples, many substances are too similar to one another and difficult to separate.
The equipment can also be used in areas such as toxicology, forensic sciences, and biotechnology. For example, it will be possible to help identify complex biological traces in forensic investigations or detect adulteration in food products. Its high processing speed also allows more samples to be analysed in less time — a critical factor for large-scale studies and translational research.
With this installation, NOVA FCT strengthens its position as a reference centre for advanced biomolecular analysis in Portugal, opening new research opportunities in health, biomedicine, toxicology, food science, forensic sciences, and pharmaceutical development.
More photographs from the equipment presentation here (João Lima/NOVA FCT).
Press
Nova FCT recebe equipamento científico capaz de analisar milhares de moléculas em simultâneo, PC Guia
NOVA FCT recebe equipamento pioneiro que aumenta a capacidade da deteção precoce de doenças como o cancro, Medjournal
