Sara Abalde-Cela

Dr. Sara Abalde-Cela serves as Research Scientist and Principal Investigator leading the Medical Devices group at the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) in Braga, Portugal. Her research pioneers optofluidic platforms for disease diagnosis and monitoring, integrating nanotechnology, Raman spectroscopy, microfluidics, and liquid biopsy with significant clinical translation potential. She has secured over €6 million in competitive European funding and co-founded startup RUBYnanomed where she acts as CTO.

Her academic foundation includes:

• PhD in Nanotechnology from Universidade de Vigo, Spain (2008-2013), developing hybrid plasmonic nanostructures for biosensing
• Postdoctoral research at University of Cambridge, UK (2013-2016) focusing on microfluidics for single-cell monitoring

Dr. Abalde-Cela's research program centers on creating ultrasensitive diagnostic tools through optofluidic integration, with particular emphasis on cancer applications. Her group develops microdroplet-based SERS platforms for liquid biopsy, plasmonic nanomaterials for molecular detection, and portable systems enabling point-of-care disease monitoring. This work bridges fundamental nanotechnology with clinical needs through active technology transfer initiatives and international collaborations.

Analysis of her 2023-2025 publications reveals strong trends toward clinical implementation of SERS-microfluidic systems, with increasing focus on AI-driven data analysis, multi-analyte detection, and user-friendly portable devices. Key application areas include cancer phenotyping, pathogen detection, and metabolic monitoring, demonstrating a clear trajectory from benchtop innovation to real-world diagnostic solutions.

Her recognitions include:

• Women Innovators Prize Finalist, European Innovation Council (2022)

As Principal Investigator, Dr. Abalde-Cela has directed major European grants including Pathfinder, FET Open, and RIA/IA Actions totaling €6+ million, while through RUBYnanomed she has secured €5+ million for commercialization. She actively mentors researchers and engages in international science outreach across Cambridge, London, Boston, Vigo, and Braga.

She leads the INL Medical Devices research group developing next-generation diagnostic platforms and serves as CTO of RUBYnanomed, driving the clinical translation of nanotechnology-based medical devices through strategic partnerships with healthcare providers and industry.