Nordic Scholarship: João Jacinto’s Research Journey from Portugal to Sweden

At SPOT Nordic, one of our core missions is to promote talent mobility and strengthen scientific cooperation between Portugal and the Nordic countries. Through the Nordic Scholarship programme, João Miguel Neves Jacinto, a PhD student at iBET - Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, is currently undertaking a six-month research stay at Karolinska Institutet, where he is developing work in the field of cancer immunotherapy.  

João is part of the Stem and Immune Cell Bioengineering laboratory at iBET, in Oeiras, and his doctoral project focuses on innovative therapeutic approaches that use the body’s own immune system to fight cancer.

As João explains, “Cancer immunotherapies have been revolutionising the way we treat oncological diseases, by using the immune system itself to recognise and combat tumour cells.” Among the most promising approaches are cell therapies, which use immune cells with anti-tumour capacity to develop more targeted and effective treatments.

Within this context, João’s work focuses on Natural Killer (NK) cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells, as well as the extracellular vesicles produced by these cells. These vesicles are naturally released nanoparticles capable of transporting bioactive molecules and communicating with other cells.

According to João, these technologies offer significant advantages compared with conventional cell therapies, namely “the reduction of oncogenic and immunogenic risks, greater stability in biological fluids, and better capacity to penetrate solid tumours.”

The broader objective of his PhD is to make these therapies more accessible and scalable. As he notes, his work is centred on “developing more efficient, scalable and sustainable production and purification platforms, capable of generating these NK cells and their extracellular vesicles in clinically relevant quantities.”

To achieve this, the project combines advanced bioprocessing tools such as bioreactor cell culture systems, chromatography purification techniques, and continuous integrated production strategies. These methodologies help increase process control, reduce costs, and accelerate the transition from laboratory research to future clinical applications.

A decisive stage of the project required international collaboration with specialists in NK cell biology. João recalls that “from the beginning we knew this would be a challenge that required collaboration with specialists in the area.” This led to the opportunity to join the laboratory of Dr. Evren Alici at Karolinska Institutet, recognised for its expertise in cell and gene therapies.

Nordic Scholarship played a decisive role in making this mobility possible and creating the right conditions for João to develop this international collaboration at Karolinska Institutet. As he explains, “the SPOT Nordic fellowship played a fundamental role in making this collaboration possible,” also functioning as “a true catalyst for this internship” and contributing directly to the progress of his PhD.

The impact of the experience, however, goes far beyond financial support. According to João, “this opportunity opened doors to new scientific collaborations” and allowed him to become part of “a highly innovative international community,” with positive effects on both his academic and professional journey.

His stay in Sweden has also been enriching on many levels. João describes this phase as “extremely enriching, both scientifically and personally,” highlighting the opportunity to work in an environment of international excellence.

Throughout these months, João shares that “working in an international environment, learning new methodologies and collaborating with researchers from different areas and specialities” has allowed him to expand his scientific knowledge and further strengthen his interest in the field of immunotherapies.

Outside the laboratory, he also notes that “life in Stockholm has been surprising me very positively,” especially with the arrival of longer days and better weather, which have allowed him to explore the city and its surroundings. He also highlights that SPOT Nordic has created opportunities for him to meet other Portuguese living in Stockholm, as well as discover future projects and initiatives aligned with his own interests.

João Jacinto’s journey is an excellent example of what Nordic Scholarship aims to support: enabling Portuguese researchers to access world-class institutions, develop new partnerships, and bring valuable knowledge back to Portugal.

We are very proud to support João during this important stage of his academic journey and look forward with enthusiasm to the next chapters of his work.