Researchers from the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon Internationally Highlighted by the Journal Biomedicines

A study developed by researchers from the Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering (IBEB) and faculty members of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon was recently highlighted by the international scientific journal Biomedicines on its official communication platforms, including LinkedIn, Facebook, and X. The recognition focused on the article “Breast Cancer Molecular Subtype Prediction: A Mammography-Based AI Approach”, published in 2024.

The work, led by IBEB’s full member Ana Margarida Mota in collaboration with IBEB’s full member Nuno Matela and PhD student João Mendes, proposes an artificial intelligence-based approach to predict molecular subtypes of breast cancer from mammography images. Using advanced deep learning models, the study explores the possibility of biologically characterizing breast tumors in a non-invasive manner, relying exclusively on the computational analysis of medical images.

Currently, determining the molecular subtype depends on biopsies and histopathological analyses, invasive procedures subject to limitations associated with tumor heterogeneity. According to the authors, the use of artificial intelligence may, in the future, contribute to accelerating clinical decision-making, supporting personalized medicine strategies, and complementing conventional tumor characterization methods.

The journal Biomedicines classified the article as a “Highly Cited Paper”, highlighting the scientific impact achieved by the publication and the growing relevance of artificial intelligence in imaging oncology.

The work is part of a research line developed at IBEB and the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, focused on the development of computational tools capable of extracting biologically relevant information directly from medical examinations, promoting more precise, efficient, and less invasive approaches in clinical practice.
The international visibility achieved by this study reinforces the growing recognition of Portuguese research in one of the most competitive fields of biomedical engineering and artificial intelligence applied to healthcare.

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