As the IPBN Health & Wellness Conference approaches on July 10 in the Algarve, we are proud to spotlight one of our distinguished keynote speakers and panelists: Dr. Joana Apolonio, researcher and project coordinator at the Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute (ABC-RI). Joana brings a powerful combination of scientific rigor and community-minded purpose to her work—and to our event.

Joana’s path into the biomedical research space began with her academic journey at the University of Algarve, where she earned a PhD in Mechanisms of Disease and Regenerative Medicine. “My PhD project focused on the study of an epigenetic event in the TERT gene, which plays a crucial role in the limitless self-renewal capacity of cancer cells,” she explained. That research, which identified a DNA methylation event named THOR (TERT Hypermethylated Oncological Region), explored its biological significance and clinical applications in breast cancer.

Now serving as both coordinator of the Strategic Plan and Project Management Unit and a researcher with the Epigenetics in Human Disease Group at ABC-RI, Joana’s expertise centers on identifying epigenetic alterations—specifically DNA methylation—as potential diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic tools in oncology. “I specialize in exploring these epigenetic marks as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for oncological diseases,” she said. But her interests reach beyond oncology into the multidimensional study of ageing, combining “biological, cognitive, and social factors to better understand the ageing process and its impact on health and wellbeing.”

Among several cutting-edge projects, Joana is currently evaluating THOR as a liquid biopsy tool for early breast cancer detection and has submitted a proposal for a colorectal cancer screening project combining epigenetic data with fecal testing. She is also deeply involved in two healthy ageing studies: the ALFA Score, a tool to track age-related health risks in the Algarve population, and the ABA project, which uses MRI to assess brain ageing and the potential for neurodegenerative disease.

Joana sees IPBN events like the Health & Wellness Conference as vital to her mission. “I would like the network to understand that I am highly motivated to develop projects with relevant impact on disease prevention and health promotion,” she said. “I am highly committed to bringing science closer to the community and to establishing collaborations… it is an opportunity to share our work, foster partnerships, and contribute to improving health literacy in our society.”

Join us on July 10 to hear more from Dr. Apolonio and other thought leaders as we explore the evolving intersection of innovation, healthcare, and wellness. Seats are limited— Register now to secure your place at this impactful event.

Photograph by Isa Mestre