LS4FUTURE institutes ITQB NOVA and NMS Take Center Stage at NOVA Science & Innovation Day 2024

13/12/2024

The LS4FUTURE partner institutes, ITQB NOVA and NOVA Medical School (NMS), actively participated in the NOVA Science & Innovation Day 2024, a flagship event celebrating scientific excellence and innovation across NOVA University. The event, held on December 3 at NOVA University’s Rectorate, brought together researchers, students, and stakeholders to showcase impactful projects and foster collaborations across disciplines.

Celebrating Research Impact Awards
Two LS4FUTURE researchers were honored in the prestigious NOVA Research Impact Narratives Challenge 2024. Rita Ventura, Principal Investigator at ITQB NOVA, won one of the six awards for her narrative, “New synthetic small organic molecules to stabilise biopharmaceuticals at the origin of a new startup.” This work highlights the development of molecules that enhance protein stabilization under stress, leading to the creation of the startup Extremochem, later acquired by Hovione to advance biopharmaceutical applications.

From NMS, Miguel Seabra also received an Impact Narratives Challenge award for his narrative, “Twenty Years from Gene Identification to Therapeutic Intervention.” This recognition stems from over 22 years of groundbreaking research in gene therapy for rare retinal diseases, encompassing both discovery and preclinical studies.

Additionally, ITQB NOVA researcher Catarina Pimentel received an honorable mention for her project “SalivaScan: Connecting Researchers and School Communities for the Evaluation of a New COVID-19 Saliva Test.” The initiative evaluated a non-invasive saliva test for schoolchildren in Oeiras, demonstrating its accuracy and usability.

Acknowledging High-Impact Scientific Contributions
The event also recognized outstanding citation impact among researchers. Inês Cardoso Pereira, Principal Investigator at ITQB NOVA, received a diploma for achieving the highest field-weighted citation impact (FWCI) at the institute for 2021-2023. Her research focused on an innovative system coupling bacteria with synthetic materials to produce hydrogen from light.

From NMS, Tiago Bilhim was similarly acknowledged as one of the most cited researchers at NOVA University during the same period (2021-2023), based on FWCI metrics.

Showcasing Innovative Research and Collaborations
The day featured several impactful projects and initiatives. Mariana Pinho from ITQB NOVA shared updates on her groundbreaking research into antimicrobial resistance, supported by three consecutive ERC grants. ITQB researchers Ricardo Louro and Ana Luísa Fernando (NOVA FCT) presented their sustainable energy project, “BIORCICLE: Crops to Biomethane Production,” while Ana Pina highlighted the La Caixa Impulse project focused on collagen-based biological batteries for electronic skin devices.

NMS also stood out with its presentation of the European PAS GRAS Project, delivered by Sílvia Conde, showcasing its contributions to health innovation.

The event emphasized the collaboration between ITQB NOVA and the Oeiras Municipality, with Maria João Leão presenting initiatives under the Ciência+Cidadã programme, and Pedro Pedrosa introducing the DxHub project by ITQB NOVA’s Innovation Unit, InnOValley.

Also the researchers presented their work at the Innovation Fair, ITQB NOVA showcased “COPE – Improving plant protection” and “ColorAmp” (a novel method for nucleic acid detection), led by Carlos Moreira and Catarina Amaral respectively, while two NMS prototype technologies were also presented: NOVA DROPS, a 3D in vitro model for diabetic retinopathy by Sandra Tenreiro, and NOVA SKIN, in vitro epidermis and full-skin models by Duarte Barral in collaboration with ITQB NOVA.

Driving LS4FUTURE’s Mission

The NOVA Science & Innovation Day 2024 underscored the alignment of ITQB NOVA and NMS with LS4FUTURE’s mission to drive research and innovation for a sustainable future. By bridging academic expertise with societal challenges, both institutes exemplify the transformative impact of collaboration within the LS4FUTURE framework.

Stay tuned for more updates on how LS4FUTURE partner institutes are shaping the future of science and innovation.