Get to know: Prof. André Martins

André Martins leads a team in advanced metabolic imaging and cell engineering, the AMICI. Among his many research interests, he works on a project with hybrid imaging where Raman microscopy, positron-emission tomography (PET), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used simultaneously to record metabolic cancer heterogeneity. In particular, he is investigating essential components of metabolism, such as imaging glucose, lactate, pyruvate, glutamate, acidity, and hypoxia within tumors. To do this, his team uses translational hyperpolarized- and deuterium-metabolic imaging. Cells consume glucose, and they can transform it into pyruvate through glycolysis. Pyruvate, in turn, can be metabolized to lactate by the cancer cell. Lactate is a waste product of tumor cells that may again be used by cancer cells to help the cells proliferate (perform growth and division). André Martins and his team are investigating the metabolic heterogeneity of tumors and aim to modulate the tumor microenvironment through immuno-metabolic approaches. He also develops acting-sensing and theranostic cells through cell engineering approaches; in particular, he is concentrating on stress-mediated theranostic cells that can be used in image-guided functional therapy. We wish André Martins and his team every success in their research area!