The Portuguese Society of Nephrology has honoured the research work of Catarina Marreiros, a doctoral student at CCMAR, with the award for the best work in the field of peritoneal dialysis. Catarina is working on her thesis in the Functional Biochemistry and Proteomics Group, in collaboration with the Nephrology Department of the Algarve Hospital and University Centre.

The study, entitled "Gla rich protein (GRP) serum levels associated with left ventricle hypertrophy and pulse pressure in peritoneal dialysis patients", showed that low levels of gla rich protein in the blood are associated with cardiovascular risk parameters. This phenomenon was observed in kidney patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis, an alternative technique to haemodialysis.

The preliminary results of this study suggest that gla rich protein could be a potential biomarker for diagnosing cardiovascular risk in kidney patients.

The prize was awarded by the Scientific Committee at the Renal Meeting 2023, held in Porto in November 2023.