Metatissue
Metatissue
METATISSUE is a spin-off of the University of Aveiro (UAVR), founded in April 2018. It is embedded in the Creative Science Park of the Aveiro Region, in Portugal. The company was founded by bringing together expertise from the UAVR COMPASS Research Group in bioengineering, biomaterials and tissue engineering, with its industry-oriented and translational research strategy.
METATISSUE designs and develops innovative materials for cell culture, tissue engineering and tissue/organ regeneration. The company was created to specifically address the needs of life science researchers, biomedical, biotech and pharmaceutical companies and diagnostic centres, to generate in vitro tissue constructs that mimic the native tissue, avoiding the use of animal-derived products.
METATISSUE’s strength lies, in fact, in the use of human-derived raw material (e.g. human native tissues, human plasma) to develop biomaterials for a wide range of applications, from tissue engineering and regenerative strategies, to the development of 3D disease models for drug discovery and testing, as well as the study of cell behaviour in native conditions mimicking cell microenvironments.
The innovation potential of METATISSUE’s products is based on the fact that they contain human biochemical cues (vital for cell function), avoid contamination, are easy-to-use and can be personalised (using patient’s own biological material).
In collaboration with UAVR, METATISSUE developed a new human-derived hydrogel based on modified platelet lysates. It will we used in Interlynk.
Key Persons
Catarina A. Custódio
Catarina A. Custódio is co-founder and CEO of METATISSUE. She graduated in Applied Chemistry and has a PhD degree in Tissue Engineering, Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells. Her expertise is in the field of advanced material synthesis for biomedical applications, biomaterials design, and new approaches for tissue regeneration and disease models. Her current main ambition is to achieve 3D cell culture and microtissue development in a more robust, personalized, and predictable manner. She has consolidated experience in the synthesis of human extracellular matrix-derived gels and human plasma-based 3D hydrogels, as well as in the validation and IP protection of this latter innovative technology.
Sara C. Santos
Sara C. Santos is a researcher at METATISSUE. She is graduated in Biochemistry and has a master degree in Clinical Biochemistry. She has experience in the development and characterization of human-derived strategies for the development of platforms for cell culture, disease modelling or drug screening. In particular, she has gained know-how in 3D cell culture platforms derived from human platelet lysates, and in the application of platelet lysate based materials in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
Dulce Costa
Dulce Costa is the Head of Quality at Metatissue. She has extensive experience in GMP systems, chemical and human engineering, and quality management in biomanufacturing environments. She is responsible for ensuring regulatory compliance and for leading the transition to ISO-aligned production. Her expertise spans quality and risk management, occupational hygiene and safety, and biotechnology production processes.
Fabiana Pereira
Fabiana Pereira brings complementary expertise as a manufacturing technician with a background in chemical engineering. She plays a central role in process development, validation, and hydrogel manufacturing. Fabiana ensures the consistency and quality of hPLMA production and is pivotal in scaling up formulation processes for both research-grade applications. She also supports procurement, logistics, and technical documentation.