The EU4EU National Consortium organizes highly qualified internship experiences from 2 to 6 months, fostering trainees' professional skills, strengthening their linguistic and computer abilities and refining the communication talents of participants in international environments. The project aims to maximize the employment impact: it favours traineeships that offer greater guarantees of continuity, promotes the development of skills that significantly enrich trainees' curricular profile and can be easily used in other professional sectors.

The main objectives of the project include: enhancing the use of new teaching/learning methods based on peer learning, peer evaluation, social learning in higher education; using gamification and digital technology in higher education as new tools in higher education; developing a module with innovative practices and digital tools; preparing universities to the digital era in education, providing them with capacity to use digital tools; developing channels for cooperation in teaching/learning among universities and among students.

A mobilidade académica internacional é um dos pilares estruturantes da RACS, pelo que o consórcio RACS+ nasce com o propósito de dotar a rede da acreditação necessária para concorrer a financiamento KA171 que lhe permita impulsionar o seu programa de mobilidade. Pretende-se desenvolver mobilidades IN e OUT de estudantes (SMS e SMP), recém-diplomados (SMP), pessoal docente (STA e STT) e não docente (STT) em todos os ciclos de estudo das áreas das ciências da saúde. Será dado especial enfoque aos procedimentos de preparação, monitorização e reconhecimento formal das mobilidades, às medidas inclusivas e à sensibilização dos intervenientes para adoção de comportamentos conducentes à transição ambiental. Este Consórcio constituirá uma mais-valia para a internacionalização das IES e parceiros lusófonos, não só pela sua dimensão e diversidade, como pela sua relevância no domínio da saúde. Providenciar estas oportunidades de mobilidade às comunidades lusófonas reforçará a coesão destes povos e contribuirá para o empoderamento da língua portuguesa no mundo, a par das prioridades da CPLP.  

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

https://ciiem.egasmoniz.edu.pt/media/93651/Cronograma_Emprego-cient%C3%ADfico.pdf https://sigarra.up.pt/flup/en/projectos_geral.ficha_projecto?p_id=73020 https://isociologia.up.pt/en/projects?field_status_target_id=All&page=1

The use of medicines, dietary supplements, and natural products, to enhance physical, intellectual, and social performance – referred here as performance consumptions – is growing in current societies. It is a complex phenomenon that reflects a change in the conventional use of therapeutic resources, expanding it beyond the realm of health and sickness. This project aims to grasp this modern phenomenon by analyzing performance consumptions within the contexts that spur them. Hence, the focus of analysis – which has commonly been on individual consumption practices - will be redirected towards the social contextuality that structures individuals’ daily lives. The central research object is twofold. Firstly, it concerns practices and dispositions to engage in performance consumptions within specific social contexts. Secondly, it regards their literacy on, and the sources of information used for, different types of consumption. The project focuses on three professional groups associated with contexts of high pressure for performance: police officers, nurses and journalists. The study will be conducted in the urban areas of Lisbon and Oporto. Data collection will follow a mixed methods approach: focus groups, surveys and semi-structured interviews. Additionally, the indicators regarding literacy patterns and information sources, will be replicated to a sample of consumers of performance products, in pharmacies and food supplements stores. This research seeks to respond to several imperatives. It will contribute to further sociological knowledge of a phenomenon with multiple social impacts, on which empirical studies are still scarce. It shall provide a set of indicators on new forms of social demands on labor, which may support policies to promote a social healthier work environments. It operationalizes the issue of literacy in a multidisciplinary perspective, widening scientific perception and the grounds for citizenship on this topic.

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

The primary objective of the LIFE Study is to establish the clinical impact of a PoC-EID for infants and neonates from Mozambique and Tanzania at birth and week 4- 8 weeks, linked with nurse-initiated immediate ART initiation in HIV-infected neonates, versus standard-of-care (SoC) on the primary and secondary endpoints. Combined clinical outcomes will include mortality, morbidity (WHO Stage 2 or above disease, severe infant medical conditions), hospitalization, toxicity (Grade 3 or above laboratory abnormality), poor antiretroviral treatment response (confirmed virological failure, treatment termination or prolonged interruption), or loss to follow up of HIV-infected infants.

HIV-1 affects a significant number of individuals in Cape Verde and even though antiretroviral treatment is available for all patients in need, drug resistance has increased to alarming rates in recent years. Resistance testing is required to help select effective second-line ART regimens and prevent further transmission of drug resistant isolates. Virtually nothing is known about the acute phase of HIV-2 infection and how it sets the stage for the attenuated course of infection that is typical of this virus. HIV-2 represented 12% of new infections in 2015 in Cape Verde making this country an ideal place to study the acute phase of HIV-2 infection. The overall objectives of this project are to obtain a detailed understanding of the HIV epidemiology, drug resistance and pathogenesis in Cape Verde. Specific objectives are: 1) to determine the rates of primary and secondary drug resistance in HIV-1 and HIV-2-infected patients; 2) to characterize the neutralizing antibody response in HIV-2-infected patients during acute infection and its impact in virus evolution and disease progression; and 3) to study the contribution of host restriction factors SAMHD1 and tetherin in the control of HIV-2 replication and disease progression. In task 1 the HIV Cape Verde Cohort will be established. This will be a prospective cohort of 225 HIV-1-infected (110 drug-naïve and 115 failing ART therapy) and 75 HIV-2-infected individuals enrolled and followed at the Hospitals and Health Centers in São Vicente and Praia over a three-year period. Socio-demographic, clinical and laboratory data will be collected at study entry and every 6 months thereafter. Blood samples will be collected at each visit for analysis in subsequent tasks. In task 2 we will obtain updated data on the epidemiology of HIV-1 and HIV-2 drug resistance. This will require sequencing the pol gene of treated and untreated patients, identifying drug resistance mutations and tracing back the origin of resistant isolates by phylogeographic analysis. In task 3 Env-pseudotyped viruses and a single-cycle infectivity assay will be used to determine the potency and breadth of antibody neutralization in sequential samples obtained from patients with recent HIV-2 infection. The impact of antibody neutralization in viral evolution, pathogenesis and disease progression will be investigated. In task 4, we will determine the relative prevalence of SAMHD1 splice variants in HIV-2-infected individuals and investigate the possible correlation with disease progression. We will also investigate the role of Vpx variants from HIV-2-infected individuals in the antagonism of SAMHD1 activity. Finally, we will assess the ability of primary HIV-2 Env proteins to neutralize tetherin. This will require cloning env genes from HIV-2 patients in 6-month intervals to observe longitudinal changes in the envelope sequences, to study their associated Vpu-like properties and establish possible correlations with disease progression.

Marie Sklodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks

https://orbital-itn.eu/projects/

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

The project "DentalBioMatrix: Exploiting the power of decellularized extracellular matrix to fabricate hierarchical biomimetic scaffolds to regenerate functional periodontal tissues" has been recommended for funding by FCT (2020 Call for SR&TD Project Grants). The goal of DentalBioMatrix is to develop novel bioengineering strategies to regenerate periodontium, by engineering hierarchically designed compartmentalized systems to meet the different characteristics of the tissues involved in periodontal defects. Decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) will be used to create complex dECM-derived scaffolds to recreate the different niches of periodontium. Collectively, this approach will potentially provide the opportunity to harness the properties of periodontal tissue ECM, recreating a local niche at the tooth interface that can promote periodontal regeneration, especially important for osteoporotic and older patients with compromised ECM. The project, which falls within the scientific area of Medical Biotechnology, is headed by Marta Carvalho from SCERG-iBB.

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

EEA Grant

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) have been the answer to those problems. These systems are designed to control culture conditions for intensive farming, while increasing biosecurity levels, minimizing water consumption, and managing waste streams. Clearly, a shift from open farming to sustainable land-based aquaculture is happening in Norway and other parts of the globe. However, only a few Portuguese companies are operating with RAS; therefore, a greater financial and technological investment is needed to advance this production sector in Portugal. RAS themselves are stimulating demand for technology innovation in areas like aqua tech. Still, there are no real-time sensors for the quantification of highly toxic nitrogen compounds (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate) that can accumulate in close systems. Therefore, the main goal of this project is the development of innovative sensors to quantify such compounds using a technological platform (electrochemical biosensors) that is mastered by the start-up Nitrogen Sensing Solutions (promoter). Our first product will be a portable nitrite biosensor-the NO2Aqua - that will be launched on the market by the end of the project. Our second product will be a standalone device that is able to monitor the three N-nutrients in real-time, the NOxAqua. Finally, a prototype of an automated sampling system specifically designed to integrate and connect the sensors to the tanks will be developed, fulfilling the specific needs of the RAS industry. Our Portuguese (Flatlantic and RiaSearch) and Norwegian (NIVA and RASLab) partners will play a fundament role in validating/demonstrating/proving the technology in operational environments, thereby strengthening the scientific and echnological relationships between the two States. Ultimately, we will be able to create products of high value for the Blue Growth sector, thereby fostering innovation and business development, and levering the competitiveness and sustainability of Portuguese SMEs.

EEA Grant

PRR | Plano de Recuperação e Resiliência, Financiado pela Uniáo Europeia | NextGenerationEU

O projeto “Embalagem do Futuro | + ECOLÓGICA + DIGITAL + INCLUSIVA” propõe-se à investigação, desenvolvimento, produção/fabrico e comercialização à escala global de • Embalagem do Futuro | + ECOLÓGICA + DIGITAL + INCLUSIVA

PRR | Plano de Recuperação e Resiliência, Financiado pela Uniáo Europeia | NextGenerationEU

O projeto “Embalagem do Futuro | + ECOLÓGICA + DIGITAL + INCLUSIVA” propõe-se à investigação, desenvolvimento, produção/fabrico e comercialização à escala global de soluções de embalagem mais ecológicas, mais digitais e mais inclusivas, que se materializem em pelo menos 45 novos produtos e/ou serviços resultantes de atividades de I&D coletivas, assim como no desenvolvimento de novos processos a adotar ao longo de toda a cadeia de valor do setor das Embalagens, desde as matérias primas e subsidiárias, design de produto engenharia, moldes e ferramentas, processamento e fabrico, sistemas de informação e transição digital, marketing social, recolha/logística e reciclagem, com impacto na melhoria da eficiência dos processos. Simultaneamente, são propostas iniciativas relacionadas com a 1) qualificação dos recursos humanos, a partir da criação de cursos modulares e de um doutoramento de interface em parceria com as empresas; a 2) criação de uma infraestrutura científica dedicada à investigação e à prestação de serviços na área do Life Cycle Assessment e impacto ambiental; o 3) desenvolvimento de um esquema de “Certificação de Embalagem Sustentável” que avalie indicadores, dados, processos e equipamentos, atestando o impacto no desenvolvimento sustentável e na transição digital; a 4) implementação de uma estratégia comum de sensibilização ambiental das populações (piloto nos municípios da CIMRL); bem como a 5) promoção e divulgação das iniciativas e soluções do presente Pacto a nível global.

Horizon Europe funding programme from European Commission

The outdoor environment has a significant impact on our health and wellbeing. The European Green Deal has introduced the ambitious commitment to a ‘Zero-Pollution Action Plan for air, water, and soil’ to protect humans and the environment. Evidence-based policy making on environmental stressors is however hampered by the methodological challenges to quantify their socioeconomic costs. The overall objective of BEST-COST is to improve methodologies for the socio-economic cost assessment of environmental stressors to i) enhance regular usage of economic and health modelling in policy impact assessments and policy evaluation; and ii) promote harmonised and consensus metrics for integrative socio-economic assessments of environmental stressors in Europe. BEST-COST will develop an improved and consensual burden of disease (BOD) framework for estimating the health impact of environmental stressors, with a focus on air pollution and noise and their interactions; an improved and consensual methodology for monetization of BOD estimates of environmental stressors; and a coherent methodological framework for assessing social inequalities in the socioeconomic cost of environmental stressors. The methods will be co-developed with key stakeholders, made available as open access tools, and trialed in different EU countries. To ensure sustainability, transferability of the knowledge and methods developed by BEST-COST to other countries and stressors will be established. BEST-COST is conducted by a strong and unique consortium, gathering world-class expertise on environmental BOD assessment. The BEST-COST consortium consists of 17 organisations from 10 EU countries and the USA, and will be supported by an Advisory Board including representatives from JRC, EEA, and WHO. The consortium bridges the expertise from the Global Burden of Disease study, via the inclusion of IHME and key GBD collaborators, with that of national BOD studies, and will translate this expertise to EU agencies.

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Diabetes is a pandemic disease of high prevalence worldwide (9.3%). In Portugal alone the rate rises to 13.7% when considering the adult population between 20 and 79 years old, the second highest in all European countries. Furthermore, Azores is the leading European region where more people die of diabetes. Data show that 25% of diabetics will develop a foot ulcer which. This condition tends to be chronic, and in 60-70% of the cases will become infected which in turn makes the healing process more difficult. In addition, the costs, both direct and indirect, of these chronic wound treatments are very high, putting the social security, national health systems and payers under pressure. Despite the significant research in this area for the past 20 years, it is still evident the need of new, more efficient and affordable chronic wound treatment strategies. The main concept is to use sustainable alternative feedstock (milk waste) to obtain highly biological active elements (e.g. proteins and growth factors) to be used as biomimetic platforms for chronic wound care solutions.

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

O óxido nítrico (NO) é uma importante molécula sinalizadora, que desempenha funções chave em vários processos (pato)fisiológicos, tais como a regulação do sistema vasodilatador e a pressão arterial, citoprotecção após insulto isquémico, e infecção. A produção endógena de NO depende da actividade de uma família de enzimas, as sintases do óxido nítrico (NOS), as quais catalizam a oxidação da L-arginina em L-citrulina e NO, na presença de O2. O tempo de vida do NO é muito curto, sendo rapidamente oxidado nos seus metabolitos estáveis nitrito (NO2-) e nitrato (NO3-). Perturbações na actividade das NOS podem causar insuficiência em NO, trazendo complicações para a saúde vascular. Vários trabalhos mostraram que em condições de hipóxia e acidose, o NO pode ser produzido alternativamente, através da redução do nitrito por parte de várias proteínas, enzimas, e sistemas não-enzimáticos, compensando assim a via L-arginina-oxigénio-NOS no controlo da pressão sanguínea. O nitrato também pode mediar estas transformações via a sua conversão em nitrito por acção de bactérias comensais presentes na boca, ligando assim a microflora oral ao controlo da pressão sanguínea. Como tal, o papel do nitrato do nitrito na fisiologia humana assume hoje uma grande relevância, colocando-os na linha da frente da biologia do NO. A biodisponibilidade do NO na cavidade oral é afectada por condições inflamatórias, como as doenças periodontais, as quais são desencadeadas por bactérias orais e envolvem a inflamação crónica das gengivas e tecidos em redor dos dentes, afectando cerca de 50% da população mundial. A resposta imune a vários taxons associados à periodontite liberta NO para limitar a inflamação e o acúmulo de placa. Como resultado, os níveis de nitrito/nitrato estão aumentados na saliva de pacientes com periodontite, destacando o papel do microbioma hospedeiro na proteção da gengiva na periodontite. Recentemente, foi demonstrado que as bactérias orais também podem reduzir o nitrito a amónia; contudo, a relevância dessa actividade ainda é desconhecida. Por conseguinte, existe uma interação intrincada entre todos os componentes do ciclo do azoto na saúde humana, e em algumas das doenças não transmissíveis mais prevalentes, como a hipertensão e a periodontite. Essas interacções e transformações devem ser mais bem descritas para que possa traduzir os resultados experimentais em informação clinicamente útil. No entanto, têm sido difíceis de medir os níveis circulantes destes iões em humanos porque os ensaios analíticos não fornecem selectividade e sensibilidade suficientes para detectar concentrações nM em amostras complexas. Além disso, essas metodologias não permitem o processamento rápido das amostras, não preservando os níveis originais das espécies de NOx. Assim, a pesquisa em biomedicina precisa com urgência de ferramentas para a quantificação rápida e fiável dessas espécies em amostras fisiológicas. Neste contexto, este projeto propõe-se a estabelecer um novo teste rápido (POCT), que seja de baixo custo e fácil de usar para quantificação de nitrato/nitrito/amónia em amostras fisiológicas, o N-Probe. Esta ferramenta basear-se-á em plataformas inovadoras para multi-análise, usando a moderna tecnologia de biossensores electroquímicos, nas quais a PI tem uma sólida experiência. Na prática, desenvolveremos biossensores para nitrato/nitrito, usando as enzimas redutoras de nitrato e nitrito, NapA e NrfA, respectivamente, as quais são altamente selectivas (produzidas no nosso lab.), enquanto que para a detecção de amónia, usaremos a enzima glutamato desidrogenase (disponível comercialmente). O N-Probe servirá de base para um estudo clínico transversal, a fim de avaliar possíveis associações entre hipertensão, periodontite e microbiota oral, por intermédio da bioquímica dos óxidos de azoto. Resumidamente, o estudo medirá in situ os 3 diferentes metabolitos, nitrato, nitrito e amónia, em amostras de saliva e plasma (sem pré-prearação), ao mesmo tempo que analisará outros parâmetros clínicos que são cruciais para entender as possíveis ligações entre CVDs e saúde oral (hipertensão, microflora). Para executar este ambicioso estudo, reunimos uma equipa de especialistas com o know-how em áreas técnicas/científicas requeridas para a realização do projecto, a saber, biotecnologia (produção de enzimas), eng. biomédica (tecnologia de biossensores), análises clínicas (amostragem de fluidos fisiológicos), saúde oral (periodontologia e microbiologia), bioestatística e biomedicina (fisiologia do NOx). A integração dessas competências complementares com instalações de excelência (EM Dental Clinic, UCIBIO, CiiEM) é muito poderosa e permitirá a implementação de ferramentas inovadoras nunca antes testadas em ambientes clínicos, e realizar o maior estudo clínico sobre o metabolismo oral do azoto.

Horizon Europe funding programme from European Commission

https://cost.eu/actions/CA20128/

Present in all European diets, fermented foods (FF) hold a strategic place due to the benefits they offer in terms of nutrition, sustainability, innovation, cultural heritage and consumer interest. The potential of FF for improving human health but also driving food innovation and local production in the next decades has become highly relevant. The challenge is therefore to federate the scientific community and other key stakeholders working on FF. We want to collectively advance scientific evidence of their health benefits, building a benefits/risk approach in order to promote multi-modal innovation and respond to the expectations of different European communities. The long-term goal of PIMENTO is to place Europe at the spearhead of innovation on microbial foods, promoting health, regional diversity, local production at different scales, contributing to economical and societal development as well as food sovereignty. To respond to this challenge, the scientific and non-scientific community need to join forces and co-construct a multi-stakeholder vision and dynamic in the field of FF. A COST Action is the best means of building this network and enabling this long-term vision to become reality. The wide variety of stakeholders engaged will enable PIMENTO: i) to tightly connect and clarify scientific knowledge on health aspects of FF ii) to tackle technical, societal and legislative bottlenecks behind FF-based innovations iii) to contribute to the establishment of long-term scientific workplaces iv) to disseminate widely define scientific knowledge on FF and define strategic roadmap for future joint research.

Horizon Europe funding programme from European Commission

https://cost.eu/actions/CA22140/

The global population is expected to increase to 10 billion by 2050, bringing with it an increased demand for food and specifically protein. Insect farming can play a major role in ensuring global food security, reducing the environmental footprint of food production, and increasing sustainability of modern farming systems. However, it is currently relying on insect populations whose genetics are poorly understood and who are not necessarily bred- or even fit-for-purpose. Understanding the genetics of large livestock species has made a big difference to the advancement of farming systems, but little effort and research has been put into developing structured breeding programs that would ensure genetic improvement of insect species. With the increased importance of honey bees as pollinators and the continuous scale-up of other insect farming systems, there is a rising need to coordinate research efforts in the field of insect breeding and genetics. The Insect-IMP Action aims to connect researchers from various fields of genetics, entomology and veterinary sciences, both with each other and with other stakeholders across the entire farmed insects sector. The Action will focus on knowledge transfer between various insect species, as well as from other animal breeding and genetics sectors to allow for economic and research gains in insect farming and beekeeping. The collaboration within the Action will enable a more sustainable growth in the insect farming sector, progress European research capacity by laying the foundation for long-term collaboration within both research and industry across borders, and support educated decisions on insect breeding regulations.

CiiEM Investiga 2018

CiiEM Investiga 2018

CiiEM Investiga 2018

CiiEM Investiga 2019

CiiEM Investiga 2019

CiiEM Investiga

CiiEM Investiga 2020

CiiEM Investiga 2020

CiiEM Investiga 2020

CiiEM Investiga 2020

CiiEM Investiga 2021

CiiEM Investiga 2021

CiiEM Investiga 2021

CiiEM Investiga 2022

CiiEM EduCom 2021

CiiEM EduCom 2021

CiiEM EduCom 2022

DigiHealthPT

O DigiHealthPT - Pólo de Inovação Digital, liderado pelo Health Cluster Portugal (HCP) e do qual a EM é parceira, pertence à rede Europeia de Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH). Esta iniciativa, além de sinalizar a aposta no digital, prevê a disponibilização de um conjunto de serviços e constitui-se como a materialização de acções estratégicas para a saúde em Portugal. O HCP tem como objetivo, em conjunto com entidades de referência e com competências complementares nomeadamente nas áreas tecnológicas (incluindo mas não se limitando a AI - Artificial Intelligence, HPC - High Performance Computing e cibersegurança), criar um balcão nacional para a promoção, disseminação e adopção de tecnologias digitais em saúde, com enfoque particular nas áreas da ehealth, SmartHealth, Medtech e dados. Serão oferecidos um conjunto de serviços, a serem prestados em rede, pelos parceiros e consortes (após o devido levantamento das competências dos parceiros).

DigiHealthPT - Digital Innovation Hub, led by the Health Cluster Portugal (HCP) and of which EM is a partner, belongs to the European network of Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH). This initiative, in addition to signaling the investment on digital, provides for the provision of a set of services and constitutes the materialization of strategic actions for health in Portugal. HCP aims, together with reference entities and with complementary competences, namely in the technological areas (including but not limited to AI - Artificial Intelligence, HPC - High Performance Computing and cybersecurity), to create a national counter for the promotion, dissemination and adoption of digital technologies in health, with a particular focus on the areas of ehealth, SmartHealth, Medtech and data. A set of services will be offered, to be provided in a network, by the partners and consorts (after due survey of the partners' skills).

Consórcio de universidades brasileiras, o qual possui uma parceria com o Programa Académico e Profissional para as Américas – LASPAU, afiliado à Universidade de Harvard, cujo objetivo é o de investir na formação de professores, fortalecer a sua motivação e estimular a aprendizagem dos estudantes, através da inovação.

Consortium of Brazilian universities, which has a partnership with the Academic and Professional Program for the Americas – LASPAU, affiliated with Harvard University, whose objective is to invest in teacher training, strengthen their motivation and stimulate student learning through innovation.

MADAN PARK A EM é Membro Associado “Fundador” da Associação Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia Almada/ Setúbal – MADAN PARQUE. O Madan Parque é um parque de ciências e tecnologia estabelecido em 1995, e ativo desde o início de 2000, cuja missão é desempenhar um papel de interface entre o mundo académico e as empresas. O Madan Parque opera uma incubadora de base tecnológica, cujo papel passa por ser facilitador e acelerador para com as suas empresas incubadas, nomeadamente no que diz respeito à internacionalização das mesmas.

EM is a "Founder" Associate Member of the Almada/ Setúbal Science and Technology Park Association – MADAN PARQUE. Madan Parque is a science and technology park established in 1995, and active since the beginning of 2000, whose mission is to play a role of interface between the academic world and companies. Madan Parque operates a technology-based incubator, whose role is to be a facilitator and accelerator for its incubated companies, namely with regard to their internationalization.