Portuguese scientist on MIT Technology Review magazine's list of top innovators

Six out of every thousand babies are affected by cardiovascular defects. A patch made from a new biomaterial that facilitates the repair of these defects was the technology developed by Maria José Pereira that earned her a place on MIT Technology Review magazine's annual list of innovators under 35.

The treatment currently available involves open-heart surgery, which is invasive and not without risks. Sutures are used to close the "small holes" between the chambers of the heart, a procedure that can damage fragile tissue. Several surgeries may be required to keep pace with growth.

The adhesive developed by Maria José Pereira can be applied in a minimally invasive way and, unlike others, the material it is made of is strong and flexible: it adheres well to tissue, withstands the constant pressure exerted on an organ such as the heart, does not cause damage to cardiac tissue, and does not need to be replaced as the child grows.

Maria José Pereira developed this new technology while studying for her PhD in the MIT Portugal Program, funded by FCT. She is 28 years old and currently coordinates the Adhesion Technologies area at the start-up GeckoBiomedical, a company that will bring this technology to market within the next two to three years.

 The researcher considers it "an honor to be included in the list of Innovators under 35. This distinction recognizes the innovative nature of the technological platform we are developing and its potential to change the way minimally invasive surgery is performed." She also points out that "this work was made possible by the collaboration of a multidisciplinary team that looked at this problem from different angles."

The scientist is the first Portuguese woman to join a list of pioneers in the field of technology, recognized over the last 10 years by the international magazine, which includes, among others, Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin; Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, Apple's chief designer Jonathan Ive, and Tumblr creator David Karp.