The Madeira Chemistry Research Centre (CQM) of the University of Madeira is instrumental for the implementation of R&D activities in Chemistry and Biochemistry in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, promoting, side by side, postgraduate formation, interaction with other Unities of R&D National and International and supplying services to the scientific and industrial community.
Currently, the CQM develops its R&D activities in the areas of Natural Products and of Materials and it is organized in two interdisciplinary groups of research (Natural Products and Materials) and five laboratories.
Permanent External Scientific Advisory Commission: Professor Martinho Simões from Lisbon University and former Head of Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica (Portugal), Professor Gordon Cragg, Retired Chief of the National Cancer Institute (USA) and Professor Makoto Fujita from Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Tokyo (Japan).
Nanotechnology is being applied to cancer in two broad areas: the development of nanovectors, such as nanoparticles, which can be loaded with drugs or imaging agents and then targeted to tumours, and high-throughput nanosensor devices for detecting the biological signatures of cancer. Combined, such technologies could lead to earlier diagnosis and better treatment for patients with cancer.