Raquel Seruca

Raquel Seruca was a Portuguese oncobiologist who dedicated her career to the study of stomach cancer. She graduated in medicine at the University of Porto and obtained a PhD in the molecular genetics of stomach cancer in 1995. She was supervised by Professor Manuel Sobrinho Simões. She was then a fellow at the University of Groningen in the Human Genetics department. She led a research group at the Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP) and later at the Institute of Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), where she was also the vice-director. She was involved in several international consortia and projects related to stomach cancer, and received funding from the charity No Stomach For Cancer. She published more than 250 scientific articles and was one of the most cited Portuguese scientists in her field. She also collaborated with the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the Agency for Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation (AICIB). She received several awards and honors for her scientific contributions, such as the Grand Officer of the Order of Infante D. Henrique, the Benjamin Castelman Award, the Medal of Scientific Merit from the Porto City Council, the Femina Award for Merit in Science, and the ACTIVA Women Inspiring Science Award. She died in Porto in 2022, leaving behind a legacy of excellence and inspiration for cancer research.