$50B+
Projected neuro-therapeutics market opportunity by 2030
REC-UC
REC@UC — Rodent & Brain Organoid Experimentation Core
Translational Neuroscience, Reframed.
An integrated CRO platform spanning rodent, cortical organoid, and electrophysiology services for high-confidence preclinical decisions.
REC@UC
Rodent & Brain Organoid Experimentation Core
REC-UC is a Proof-of-Concept operation under CENTRO2030-2024-59 (FEDER), designed to convert high-quality neuroscience models into partner-ready research services.
Status: Under evaluation · Institution: University of Coimbra · Program acronym: REC-UC
TRL 4–5
Validated readiness across MSUS and organoid platforms
Global partners
Takeda, Aelis, YouthBio, Sorbonne, IGC, UPorto
2-year PoC
Business, models, digital platform, and scale-up
Core Service Capabilities
Rodent Behavioral & Drug Testing
Study design, execution, and decision-ready reporting tailored to biotech, pharma, and academic programs.
VEST: Wireless Homecage Monitoring
Scalable homecage monitoring for longitudinal, low-stress phenotyping and operationally robust datasets.
Human Brain Organoids
Cortical organoid programs supporting target validation, mechanism-of-action studies, and translational screening.
Electrophysiology Services
Electrophysiology workflows for rodent and organoid systems, from protocol design to interpretive analysis.
Operation Overview
Program & Call
Operation: CENTRO2030-FEDER-02359000
Call code: CENTRO2030-2024-59
Call: SACCCT — Proof-of-Concept Projects
Scope
Intervention type: Scientific & Technological Research
Operation type: Proof of Concept
Keywords: Experimental models, CRO, biomedicine, valorization
Leadership
Coordinator: João Miguel Peça Lima Novo Silvestre
Role: PI, University of Coimbra
Contact: +351 969 332 188
Investment Rationale
Neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders remain a high-need segment with significant therapeutic market growth potential.
REC-UC addresses this opportunity through validated, outsourceable preclinical platforms with clear service deliverables.
Strategic Priorities
1) Business & Digital Platform
Finalize the commercial blueprint, standardize protocols, optimize workflows, and maintain a partner-facing digital platform.
2a) MSUS Commercial Validation
Use the Maternal Separation and Unpredictable Stress model with CarboCode to test sphingolipid therapeutic potential in early-stress phenotypes.
2b) GPRASP2 & Other Models
Advance application studies of the conditional GPRASP2 knockout model for memory deficits and obesity mechanisms.
3) Human Brain Organoids
Expand organoid-based precision medicine workflows for disease-mechanism and therapeutic response studies.
Organoid Technologies
REC-UC provides a translational cortical organoid platform built for partner programs in neurodevelopment and neuropsychiatry, with configurable study windows and decision-ready outputs while protecting proprietary implementation details.
Program Timeline (High-Level)
Early phase
Neural commitment and cortical patterning
Controlled induction, quality checkpoints, and reproducible batch setup.
Mid phase
3D self-organization and maturation
Progressive tissue-like architecture with milestone-based validation.
Day 46+
Self-sufficient organoid stage
Organoids are maintained as self-sustaining cultures; viral infection workflows are available from this point onward.
~2 months+
Network activity validation
Active synapse formation is validated at this stage.
~4 months
Functional imaging window
GCaMP-compatible experiments supported for circuit-level readouts.
~6 months
Advanced electrophysiology
Whole-cell patch clamp workflows supported for high-resolution functional profiling.
Human Neurons at Your Fingertips
Live neuron captured from a 4-month-old organoid.
Initializing 3D viewer…
What Partners Can Configure
- Custom experimental timepoints aligned with program endpoints.
- Flexible intervention windows across maturation stages.
- Readout planning across imaging, molecular, and electrophysiology workflows.
- Study framing for exploratory, validation, and translational decision tracks.
Commercial Delivery Model
- Structured milestone communication with clear go/no-go checkpoints.
- Decision-ready reporting designed for biotech, pharma, and academic partnerships.
- Operational model built for repeatable service delivery and scale.
- IP-aware communication: capability transparency without exposing process-sensitive details.
How Engagement Works
Initiate Access
Use Get Started to access the protected partner workspace and initialize your project profile.
Define Scope
Specify model requirements, endpoints, timelines, and constraints through structured intake templates.
Track Delivery
Monitor milestones, submit follow-up requests, and export structured reports from the activity dashboard.
Research Gallery
Selected visual highlights from REC-UC experimental workflows.
Why REC-UC
REC-UC combines scientific depth with operational discipline to deliver translational neuroscience programs that are credible, scalable, and partner-ready.
- Integrated platform: in vivo models, cortical organoids, and electrophysiology under one coordinated workflow.
- Execution quality: milestone-driven planning, reproducibility checkpoints, and structured communication.
- Translational relevance: human-cell and systems-level readouts aligned with preclinical decision needs.
- Partnership model: designed for biotech, pharma, and academic collaborations with clear governance.
- Scale readiness: repeatable service architecture and decision-grade reporting across study phases.
Contact
Ready to scope a study? Share your objectives, model needs, and target timeline to initiate a structured project discussion with REC-UC.
Program Information
Operation reference: CENTRO2030-2024-59 · REC-UC
Institution: University of Coimbra
Scientific coordination: João Miguel Peça Lima Novo Silvestre
Start a Conversation
Email: contact@rec-uc.pt (placeholder)
Recommended brief: indication area, model type, endpoints, and desired timeline.