PhD in Materials Science and Engineering, Feb2021 — Sep2025 at School of Science and Technology, Nova University Lisbon, 2829-516
Integrated master in Micro and Nanotechnologies Engineering, Sept2014 — Nov2019 at School of Science and Technology, Nova University Lisbon, 2829-516
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Materials Science, Biomaterials, Biomedical Engineering, Ceramics and Composites
Polycaprolactone/Doped Bioactive Glass Composite Scaffolds for Bone Regeneration Ana Sofia Pádua, Manuel Pedro Fernandes Graça, Jorge Carvalho Silva Journal of Functional Biomaterials, 2025 Critical-size bone defects do not heal spontaneously and require external support, making bone regeneration a central challenge in tissue engineering. Polymeric/ceramic composite scaffolds offer a promising approach to mimic the structural and biological properties of bone. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of different doping oxides in bioactive glass (BG) on the performance of polycaprolactone (PCL)-based composite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications. Composite scaffolds were fabricated using solvent casting, hot pressing, and salt-leaching techniques, combining PCL with 25 wt% of BG or doped BG containing 4 mol% of tantalum, zinc, magnesium, or niobium oxides, and 1 mol% of copper oxide. The scaffolds were characterized in terms of morphology, mechanical properties, and in vitro biological performance. All scaffolds exhibited a highly porous, interconnected structure. Mechanical compression tests indicated that elastic modulus increased with ceramic content, while doping had no measurable effect. Cytotoxicity assays confirmed biocompatibility across all scaffolds. Among the tested materials, the Zn-doped BG/PCL scaffold uniquely supported cell adhesion and proliferation and significantly enhanced alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity—an early marker of osteogenic differentiation—alongside the Nb-doped scaffold. These results highlight the Zn-doped BG/PCL composite as a promising candidate for bone regeneration applications.
Influence of zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) and magnetite (Fe3O4) additions on the structural, electrical, and biological properties of Bioglass® for metal implant coatings Imen Hammami, Manuel Pedro Fernandes Graça, Sílvia Rodrigues Gavinho, Joana Soares Regadas, Suresh Kumar Jakka, et al. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 2025 BackgroundThe growing need for durable implants, driven by aging populations and increased trauma cases, highlights challenges such as limited osseointegration and biofilm formation. 45S5 Bioglass® has shown promise due to its bioactivity, antimicrobial properties, and ability to enhance osseointegration through electrical polarization. This study investigates the effects of incorporating different concentrations of ZrO2 and Fe3O4 into 45S5 Bioglass® to enhance its electrical and biological properties.MethodsRaman analysis was used to evaluate how these oxides influenced the amount of non-bridging oxygens (NBOs) and glass network connectivity. Electrical characterization was performed using impedance spectroscopy to measure conductivity and ion mobility. Antibacterial activity was assessed using the agar diffusion method, and bioactivity was evaluated through simulated body fluid (SBF) immersion tests.ResultsThe results revealed that bioglasses containing ZrO2 exhibited higher NBO content compared to Fe3O4, leading to improved electrical and biological properties. ZrO2, particularly at 2 mol%, significantly enhanced conductivity, antibacterial activity, and bioactivity. In contrast, Fe3O4 reduced both antibacterial activity and bioactivity.ConclusionThe findings demonstrate that ZrO2 addition improves the electrical and biological performance of 45S5 Bioglass®, making it a promising candidate for durable implants. Fe3O4, however, showed limited benefits.
Green Sol–Gel Synthesis of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Magnetic Hyperthermia Applications Juliana Jesus, Joana Regadas, Bárbara Costa, João Carvalho, Ana Pádua, et al. Pharmaceutics, 2024 Background/Objectives: The unique properties of iron oxide nanoparticles have attracted significant interest within the biomedical community, particularly for magnetic hyperthermia applications. Various synthesis methods have been developed to optimize these nanoparticles. Methods: In this study, we employed a powdered coconut water (PCW)-assisted sol–gel method to produce magnetite nanoparticles for the first time. A comprehensive analysis of the thermal (differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetry), structural (X-ray diffraction), morphological (scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy), magnetic (vibrating sample magnetometer and hyperthermia), and biological (cytotoxicity essays) properties was conducted to assess their potential for magnetic hyperthermia. Results: Samples heat-treated at 700 °C and 400 °C (washed powder) for 4 h under argon presented only magnetite in their composition. The micrometer-sized particles exhibited ferrimagnetic behavior, with saturation magnetization values of 37, 76, and 10 emu/g and specific absorption rates (SAR) of 27.1, 19.9, and 14.1 W/g, respectively, for treatments at 350 °C (48 h), 700 °C (4 h), and 400 °C (washed powder, 4 h) under an argon atmosphere. Biological tests showed no cytotoxicity below 10 mg/mL. Conclusions: The findings highlight the potential of PCW-assisted synthesis as a sustainable and efficient strategy for producing pure magnetite, with powder washing preceding the heat treatment enabling the attainment of this phase at lower temperatures. Nevertheless, the micrometer-scale dimensions is observed in the morphological analysis limit their suitability for biomedical applications.
In Vitro Characterization of Doped Bioglass 45S5/HAp Coatings Obtained by CoBlastTM Deposition Ana Sofia Pádua, Sílvia Rodrigues Gavinho, Tânia Vieira, Imen Hammami, Jorge Carvalho Silva, et al. Coatings, 2023 Bone replacement is one of the major medical procedures in the oral surgery field due to the progressive ageing population and to illness or trauma in younger age groups. The use of implants without biological activity and effective osseointegration increases the chances of implant failure. This work aims to improve the interaction between implants and bone by using Bioglass 45S5 (BG)/hydroxyapatite (HAp) mixtures, including copper-, zinc-, and cerium-doped BG, as well as co-doping by the mentioned metals, as coatings produced by the CoBlastTM technique. All coatings present a uniform coverage of the Ti-6Al-4V substrate. Furthermore, in vitro testing using human osteosarcoma Saos-2 cells indicated that BG/HAp coatings have no cytotoxic effect, and the used of doping agents did not alter cell adhesion, proliferation, or alkaline phosphatase (ALP) expression when compared to undoped coating. These results demonstrate that BG/HAp by CoBlastTM can be a solution to improve implants’ osseointegration.
Bioactive Glasses Containing Strontium or Magnesium Ions to Enhance the Biological Response in Bone Regeneration Sílvia Rodrigues Gavinho, Ana Sofia Pádua, Laura Isabel Vilas Holz, Isabel Sá-Nogueira, Jorge Carvalho Silva, et al. Nanomaterials, 2023 The non-surgical treatments are being required to reconstruct damaged tissue, prioritizing our body’s natural healing process. Thus, the use of bioactive materials such as bioactive glass has been studied to support the repair and restoration of hard and soft tissue. Thus, in this work Bioglass 45S5 was developed, adding 1 and 2%mol of SrO or MgO and the physical and biological properties were evaluated. The addition of MgO and SrO at the studied concentrations promoted the slight increase in non-bridging oxygens number, observed through the temperature shift in phase transitions to lower values compared to Bioglass 45S5. The insertion of the ions also showed a positive effect on Saos-2 cell viability, decreasing the cytotoxic of Bioglass 45S5. Besides the Ca/P ratio on the pellets surface demonstrating no evidence of higher reactivity between Bioglass 45S5 and Bioglass with Sr and Mg, micrographs show that at 24 h the Ca/P rich layer is denser than in Bioglass 45S5 after the contact with simulated body fluid. The samples with Sr and Mg show a higher antibacterial effect compared to Bioglass 45S5. The addition of the studied ions may benefit the biological response of Bioglass 45S5 in dental applications as scaffolds or coatings.
Influence of the Particle Size on the Electrical, Magnetic and Biological Properties of the Bioglass® Containing Iron Oxide Joana Soares Regadas, Sílvia Rodrigues Gavinho, Sílvia Soreto Teixeira, Juliana Vieira de Jesus, Ana Sofia Pádua, et al. Magnetochemistry, 2023 Bioglasses have been used throughout the past century as a biomaterial in the bone regeneration field. However, recent studies have attempted to use them as a therapeutic material as well, mainly in the treatment of osteosarcomas. The most widely recognized bioglass is the 45S5 Bioglass, invented by Larry Hench et al., which presents higher bioactivity. A possible application of this bioglass in the treatment of osteosarcomas can be accomplished by adding specific ions, such as iron, that will allow the use of magnetic hyperthermia and Fenton reaction as therapeutic mechanisms. In this study, a 45S5 Bioglass containing 10%mol of Fe2O3 was produced using the melt-quenching method. A group of samples was prepared by changing the overall ball milling time, from 1 h up to 48 h, to analyze the effects of iron in the bioactive glass matrix and evaluate the influence of particle size on their physical and biological properties. The studied bioglasses showed no evidence of changes in the amorphous structural nature compared to the 45S5 Bioglass. The data of the impedance spectroscopy study revealed that the addition of Fe2O3 can increase the standard rate constant of the Electro-Fenton reaction, with the sample milled for 12 h showing the most promising results. The reduction in the particle size influenced the cytotoxicity and the bioactivity. The samples with lower particle sizes showed a higher level of cytotoxicity.
Electrospun membranes from natural polymers with Quercetin C Correia, AS Pádua, C Matela, IC Gonçalves, P Soares, C Henriques, ... 2025
Developing thermoresponsive p (NIPAAm-HMAAm) electrospun nanofibers for on-demand drug release of doxorubicin A Gonçalves, SN Fernandes, AS Pádua, JC Silva, JP Borges, M Castilho, ... Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology 112, 107244 , 2025 2025 Citations: 4
Electrospun membranes from natural polymers with Quercetin: design and characterization, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, and potential for skin reinnervation in chronic … C Correia, AS Pádua, C Matela, IC Gonçalves, P Soares, C Henriques, ... International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 126062 , 2025 2025 Citations: 3
Polycaprolactone/Doped Bioactive Glass Composite Scaffolds for Bone Regeneration AS Pádua, MPF Graça, JC Silva Journal of Functional Biomaterials 16 (6), 200 , 2025 2025 Citations: 7
Influence of zirconium dioxide (ZrO 2 ) and magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) additions on the structural, electrical, and biological properties of Bioglass ® for metal implant coatings I Hammami, MP Fernandes Graça, SR Gavinho, JS Regadas, SK Jakka, ... Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 13, 1537856 , 2025 2025 Citations: 8
Green sol–gel synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles for magnetic hyperthermia applications J Jesus, J Regadas, B Costa, J Carvalho, A Pádua, C Henriques, ... Pharmaceutics 16 (12), 1578 , 2024 2024 Citations: 18
Electrospun poly (N-vinylpyrrolidone) membranes with Ag nanoparticles for wound dressings: Production and characterization AS Pádua, RM Rosa, T Vieira, C Henriques, JC Silva Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology 101, 106303 , 2024 2024 Citations: 4
Electrospun poly (N-vinylpyrrolidone) membranes with Ag nanoparticles for wound dressings AS Pádua, RM Rosa, T Vieira, C Henriques, JC Silva 2024
In Vitro Characterization of Doped Bioglass 45S5/HAp Coatings Obtained by CoBlast TM Deposition AS Pádua, SR Gavinho, T Vieira, I Hammami, JC Silva, JP Borges, ... Coatings 13 (10), 1775 , 2023 2023 Citations: 11
Bioactive glasses containing strontium or magnesium ions to enhance the biological response in bone regeneration SR Gavinho, AS Pádua, LIV Holz, I Sá-Nogueira, JC Silva, JP Borges, ... Nanomaterials 13 (19), 2717 , 2023 2023 Citations: 49
Influence of the Particle Size on the Electrical, Magnetic and Biological Properties of the Bioglass ® Containing Iron Oxide JS Regadas, SR Gavinho, SS Teixeira, JV de Jesus, AS Pádua, JC Silva, ... Magnetochemistry 9 (9), 209 , 2023 2023 Citations: 10
Antibacterial biomaterial based on bioglass modified with copper for implants coating I Hammami, SR Gavinho, SK Jakka, MA Valente, MPF Graça, AS Pádua, ... Journal of Functional Biomaterials 14 (7), 369 , 2023 2023 Citations: 27
Bioactive Glass Modified with Zirconium Incorporation for Dental Implant Applications I Hammami, SR Gavinho, AS Pádua, I Sá-Nogueira, JC Silva, JP Borges, ... 2023
Bioactive Glass Modified with Zirconium Incorporation for Dental Implant Applications: Fabrication, Structural, Electrical, and Biological Analysis I Hammami, SR Gavinho, AS Pádua, I Sá-Nogueira, JC Silva, JP Borges, ... International Journal of Molecular Sciences 24 (13), 10571 , 2023 2023 Citations: 31
Chitosan scaffolds with mesoporous hydroxyapatite and mesoporous bioactive glass AS Pádua, L Figueiredo, JC Silva, JP Borges Progress in Biomaterials 12 (2), 137-153 , 2023 2023 Citations: 33
Hydroxyapatite-Barium Titanate Biocoatings Using Room Temperature Coblasting IJG Dias, AS Pádua, EA Pires, JPMR Borges, JC Silva, MC Lança Crystals 13 (4), 579 , 2023 2023 Citations: 5
Extensive investigation on the effect of niobium insertion on the physical and biological properties of 45S5 bioactive glass for dental implant I Hammami, SR Gavinho, AS Pádua, MC Lança, JP Borges, JC Silva, ... International Journal of Molecular Sciences 24 (6), 5244 , 2023 2023 Citations: 29
Fabrication, structural and biological characterization of zinc-containing bioactive glasses and their use in membranes for guided bone regeneration SR Gavinho, AS Pádua, I Sá-Nogueira, JC Silva, JP Borges, LC Costa, ... Materials 16 (3), 956 , 2023 2023 Citations: 36
Hydroxyapatite-Barium Titanate Biocoatings Using Room Temperature Coblasting. Crystals 2023, 13, 579 IJG Dias, AS Pádua, EA Pires, J Borges, JC Silva, MC Lança 2023
Biocompatibility, Bioactivity, and Antibacterial Behaviour of Cerium-Containing Bioglass ® SR Gavinho, AS Pádua, I Sá-Nogueira, JC Silva, JP Borges, LC Costa, ... Nanomaterials 12 (24), 4479 , 2022 2022 Citations: 49
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Bioactive glasses containing strontium or magnesium ions to enhance the biological response in bone regeneration SR Gavinho, AS Pádua, LIV Holz, I Sá-Nogueira, JC Silva, JP Borges, ... Nanomaterials 13 (19), 2717 , 2023 2023 Citations: 49
Biocompatibility, Bioactivity, and Antibacterial Behaviour of Cerium-Containing Bioglass ® SR Gavinho, AS Pádua, I Sá-Nogueira, JC Silva, JP Borges, LC Costa, ... Nanomaterials 12 (24), 4479 , 2022 2022 Citations: 49
Fabrication, structural and biological characterization of zinc-containing bioactive glasses and their use in membranes for guided bone regeneration SR Gavinho, AS Pádua, I Sá-Nogueira, JC Silva, JP Borges, LC Costa, ... Materials 16 (3), 956 , 2023 2023 Citations: 36
Chitosan scaffolds with mesoporous hydroxyapatite and mesoporous bioactive glass AS Pádua, L Figueiredo, JC Silva, JP Borges Progress in Biomaterials 12 (2), 137-153 , 2023 2023 Citations: 33
Bioactive Glass Modified with Zirconium Incorporation for Dental Implant Applications: Fabrication, Structural, Electrical, and Biological Analysis I Hammami, SR Gavinho, AS Pádua, I Sá-Nogueira, JC Silva, JP Borges, ... International Journal of Molecular Sciences 24 (13), 10571 , 2023 2023 Citations: 31
Extensive investigation on the effect of niobium insertion on the physical and biological properties of 45S5 bioactive glass for dental implant I Hammami, SR Gavinho, AS Pádua, MC Lança, JP Borges, JC Silva, ... International Journal of Molecular Sciences 24 (6), 5244 , 2023 2023 Citations: 29
Antibacterial biomaterial based on bioglass modified with copper for implants coating I Hammami, SR Gavinho, SK Jakka, MA Valente, MPF Graça, AS Pádua, ... Journal of Functional Biomaterials 14 (7), 369 , 2023 2023 Citations: 27
Green sol–gel synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles for magnetic hyperthermia applications J Jesus, J Regadas, B Costa, J Carvalho, A Pádua, C Henriques, ... Pharmaceutics 16 (12), 1578 , 2024 2024 Citations: 18
In Vitro Characterization of Doped Bioglass 45S5/HAp Coatings Obtained by CoBlast TM Deposition AS Pádua, SR Gavinho, T Vieira, I Hammami, JC Silva, JP Borges, ... Coatings 13 (10), 1775 , 2023 2023 Citations: 11
Influence of the Particle Size on the Electrical, Magnetic and Biological Properties of the Bioglass ® Containing Iron Oxide JS Regadas, SR Gavinho, SS Teixeira, JV de Jesus, AS Pádua, JC Silva, ... Magnetochemistry 9 (9), 209 , 2023 2023 Citations: 10
Synthesis and Characterization of Iron Containing Bioactive Glass for Implants I Hammami, SR Gavinho, AS Pádua, MPF Graça, JC Silva 2022 E-Health and Bioengineering Conference (EHB), 1-4 , 2022 2022 Citations: 9
Influence of zirconium dioxide (ZrO 2 ) and magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) additions on the structural, electrical, and biological properties of Bioglass ® for metal implant coatings I Hammami, MP Fernandes Graça, SR Gavinho, JS Regadas, SK Jakka, ... Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 13, 1537856 , 2025 2025 Citations: 8
Polycaprolactone/Doped Bioactive Glass Composite Scaffolds for Bone Regeneration AS Pádua, MPF Graça, JC Silva Journal of Functional Biomaterials 16 (6), 200 , 2025 2025 Citations: 7
Hydroxyapatite-Barium Titanate Biocoatings Using Room Temperature Coblasting IJG Dias, AS Pádua, EA Pires, JPMR Borges, JC Silva, MC Lança Crystals 13 (4), 579 , 2023 2023 Citations: 5
Developing thermoresponsive p (NIPAAm-HMAAm) electrospun nanofibers for on-demand drug release of doxorubicin A Gonçalves, SN Fernandes, AS Pádua, JC Silva, JP Borges, M Castilho, ... Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology 112, 107244 , 2025 2025 Citations: 4
Electrospun poly (N-vinylpyrrolidone) membranes with Ag nanoparticles for wound dressings: Production and characterization AS Pádua, RM Rosa, T Vieira, C Henriques, JC Silva Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology 101, 106303 , 2024 2024 Citations: 4
Electrospun membranes from natural polymers with Quercetin: design and characterization, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, and potential for skin reinnervation in chronic … C Correia, AS Pádua, C Matela, IC Gonçalves, P Soares, C Henriques, ... International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 126062 , 2025 2025 Citations: 3
Tantalum doped bioactive glass: towards a pro-regenerative and antibacterial response AS Pádua, SR Gavinho, MPF Graça, I Sá-Nogueira, JC Silva Materials Proceedings 8 (1), 51 , 2022 2022 Citations: 3
Electrospun membranes from natural polymers with Quercetin C Correia, AS Pádua, C Matela, IC Gonçalves, P Soares, C Henriques, ... 2025
Electrospun poly (N-vinylpyrrolidone) membranes with Ag nanoparticles for wound dressings AS Pádua, RM Rosa, T Vieira, C Henriques, JC Silva 2024
Industry, Institute, or Organisation Collaboration
Master dissertation in collaboration with BioCeramed R&D department, led by PhD Ligia Figueiredo and sponsored by PhD Eduardo Pires, under the FCT supervision of PhD Prof. João Paulo Borges.