Lisbon-based biomedical research institute strong in T cell immunology, targeted cancer therapeutics, and 3D tissue models, with 81% project coordination rate.
iMM is a leading Portuguese biomedical research institute focused on understanding disease mechanisms at the molecular and cellular level — from immunology and cancer biology to neuroscience and infectious disease. They specialize in training early-career researchers through Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowships and ERC grants, translating fundamental discoveries in T cell biology, vascular patterning, and drug conjugate chemistry into therapeutic strategies. Their work spans drug repurposing, 3D tissue engineering models, and targeted cancer therapies, bridging the gap between molecular insights and preclinical applications.
Core theme across DevoTed_miR, IL7sigNETure, ENLIGHT-TEN, DevoSignGammaDelta, GammaDeltaTME, IL7RsignaTHER, and TREGeneration — covering T cell differentiation, gamma-delta T cells, and IL-7 receptor signaling.
Consistent thread from LDC4PCaTher and TRPLigDrugConj (ligand-drug conjugates for prostate cancer) through ClickandTreatCancer and VeCare, plus ACORN on antibody-drug conjugates and bioconjugation.
AXIAL.EC on vascular polarity-driven patterning, ADAPT2FLOW on endothelial cell dynamics, and MyoChip integrating vasculature into 3D muscle models.
SynapticMitochondria on mitochondrial quality control at synapses, FAIR-PARK-II on iron chelation for Parkinson's disease, and GliaInnateSensing on glial cell function.
MyoChip built a 3D innervated and irrigated muscle-on-chip, and MUSCLEGUY developed a 3D in vitro muscle disorder system for drug screening.
Cell2Cell on pathogen cell-to-cell heterogeneity in protozoan parasites, TRYPTISSUE on Trypanosoma tissue tropism, and REUSE4MALARIA on drug repurposing for malaria.
In the early period (2015–2018), iMM focused heavily on fundamental immunology — T cell differentiation, IL-7 signaling, graft-versus-host disease — alongside neurodegenerative disease and vaccine-related chemistry (GLYCOVAX, ProteinConjugates). From 2019 onward, the institute shifted toward more translational work: single-cell approaches to pathogen biology, 3D tissue engineering (MyoChip), advanced imaging (19F MRI via SENATOR), and molecular glues for cancer drug development. This represents a clear move from basic immune mechanism discovery toward applied biomedical technologies and platform-based approaches.
iMM is moving from fundamental immune biology toward applied therapeutic platforms — drug conjugates, organ-on-chip models, and advanced imaging — making them increasingly relevant for pharma and biotech collaborations.
iMM overwhelmingly leads its projects: 26 of 32 H2020 grants are coordinated by the institute, signaling strong grant-writing capacity and institutional confidence. Most of their coordinated projects are individual fellowships (MSCA-IF, ERC), which are PI-driven rather than large-consortium efforts. When they do join consortia as participants (6 projects), they tend to contribute specialized expertise in immunology or disease biology to larger multi-partner networks.
iMM has collaborated with 114 unique partners across 26 countries, indicating a broad European and international network. Their partnerships span from large research consortia (ENLIGHT-TEN, GLYCOVAX) to focused bilateral collaborations, with strong connections across Western Europe.
iMM combines deep immunology expertise with an unusual breadth of translational tools — from ligand-drug conjugates and antibody engineering to organ-on-chip platforms and 19F MRI. Their exceptionally high coordination rate (81% of projects) and success with individual ERC and MSCA grants signals a concentration of top-tier principal investigators. For consortium builders, iMM offers both scientific depth in immune-oncology and infectious disease, and a proven track record of managing EU-funded research from Lisbon.
