Startup by Portuguese researcher Ângela Relógio wins award in Germany

TimeTeller has created a simple, non-invasive saliva test that uses molecular biology and artificial intelligence to accurately determine each patient’s individual circadian rhythm. The technique has applications in several areas of healthcare, including oncology.

The startup co-founded by Portuguese researcher Angela Clockwas awarded the , an award that now adds to other awards won by the company, which developed an innovative method to measure individual circadian rhythms at the molecular level.

The technology is based on a saliva test simple and non-invasive. Using saliva, the expression of genes linked to the internal biological clock is analyzed, quantifying the RNA of these genes.

Using molecular biology techniques and mathematical models supported by artificial intelligence, the test developed by the company allows accurately determine the individual daily biological rhythm of each patient.

This precision makes it possible to adapt and personalize therapies ideally for each patient, andespecially in oncologyreducing side effects and significantly improving treatment results.

“The main scientific objective is to accurately measure the individual circadian rhythm at the molecular level”, the researcher, professor at MSH Medical School Hamburg and specialist in circadian medicine and systems biology, explained to Lusa.

The circadian rhythm is ours 24-hour rhythm which regulates the timing of almost all cellular, physiological and behavioral processes in our body.

“From a practical point of view, the objective is to use the information collected to determine the best time to administer treatmentsincreasing efficacy and reducing side effects, especially in cancer patients, where side effects can be enormous”, he pointed out.

TimeTeller, a “health tech” startup based at MSH Medical School Hamburg and with roots at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (BIH), was born from more than a decade of iacademic research in the area of ​​circadian rhythmsoncology and systems medicine.

“The biological clock, also known as the circadian clock, works in virtually every cell in the body“, explained Angela Relógio in 2023 in a BIH. “It regulates the timing of many cellular and molecular mechanisms, such as cell division or metabolic processesand plays a vital role in maintaining human health.”

“If the circadian rhythm is disturbed, diseases may develop, including sleep disorders, depression, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, obesity and cancer,” he added.

“Throughout my scientific work, it has become more apparent that each person’s ‘internal clock’, or ‘biorhythm’ strongly influences efficacy and toxicity of medical treatments, especially in oncology”, the Portuguese researcher, co-founder and CEO of the company told Lusa.

The initial motivation, said the researcher, was to transform this scientific knowledge into a practical and affordable solution that could improve patients’ lives and support clinical decisions.

“This information allows us to indicate what is the best time to administer a medical treatment to increase its effectiveness and reduce side effects. Although our initial application is in oncology, we are also developing and testing the technology in other areas, such as Parkinson’s diseasewomen’s health, sport and longevity”, revealed Ângela Relógio.

In addition to medicine, technology can “help identify the best times to day to day activitiessuch as exposure to light, sleep, meals or physical exercise, and who knows, even support national teams Portuguese women to find the best training times and optimize performance in upcoming competitions”, details the researcher.

The Hamburger Gründerpreis 2025, or Hamburg Founders Award, “is a very important recognition, both personally and for the team”, confessed Ângela Relógio.

Over the past few years, TimeTeller’s innovation has been recognized by several awards and distinctions, including the Gründungspreis+ from the German Federal Ministry of Economics (BMWK) and the Health Innovation Award from Health Innovation Port Hamburg in 2023, among others.