Blue Bio Value program awards University of Porto research

FishInSight, a project developed by professors and researchers Sónia Gomes, Marta Monteiro and Mariana Ferreira, from the Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS) and the Interdisciplinary Center for Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), at the University of Porto, were one of the winners of the 4th edition of the Blue Bio Value Ideation Program, an initiative of the Oceano Azul Foundation and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, in partnership with the Nova School of Business Economics and Porto Business School.

The award-winning project focuses on the development of an in vitro intestinal model on a chip. This chip replicates the intestinal behavior of a fish, providing an ethical alternative to testing new ingredients for aquaculture, eliminating the need to sacrifice animals. In other words, it contributes to the 3R's policy - "refine, reduce, replace" - by reducing the number of animals used in experimentation, allowing a first selection of functional ingredients or additives to be made.

In addition to promoting an innovative model that significantly reduces the time and costs associated with aquaculture, FishInSight also guarantees "the development of a solution to meet the needs of the market, while also promoting a more sustainable use of the ocean".

The researchers also believe that "this award will enable FishInSight to become a sustainable business solution aligned with the priorities of the blue bioeconomy".