For this edition of the contest, 11 groundbreaking biomedical and health projects spearheaded by research institutions and universities in Portugal were selected. This funding underscores the commitment of the “la Caixa” Foundation to champion projects of unparalleled excellence that stand to significantly benefit public health.

Listed below is more information about the seven awardees from the four COLife institutes and their projects.

O Curso terá lugar no dia 15 de dezembro, na Fundação Champalimaud, e oferecerá uma visão detalhada e atualizada sobre esta abordagem. Embora relevante para outras especialidades, este evento destina-se especialmente a médicos das áreas da Cirurgia, Oncologia Médica, Radiologia, Radioncologia e Gastrenterologia.

Artificial Intelligence is all around us, accelerating medical drug development, selecting what content we see across social media or outclassing us on the most human of tasks from driving to medical diagnoses. The transformational power of AI has the potential to alter our society as profoundly as the agricultural and industrial revolutions, but how did we get here?

What is intelligence, and why do we seek to replicate it artificially? 

When did the AI revolution begin, and can you recall your first encounter with AI? 

Pancreatic cancer is indeed a scary disease. This is because, when it becomes symptomatic enough to be detected and diagnosed, it has , in many cases, already disseminated, with  metastatic tumor cells invading other organs. 

Actually, it is among the most deadly forms of cancer, with an estimated five-year survival rate of around 3% once it has become metastatic, down from 44% when it is still localised, according to recent figures from the US National Cancer Institute. 

A Global Spotlight on a Silent Threat

The exponential rise in pancreatic cancer cases, particularly in industrialised nations, has prompted these leading research centres to join forces. With pancreatic cancer poised to become the second leading cause of cancer death in Europe and the USA within the next two decades, these institutions are emphasising the urgent need for enhanced public awareness about the disease.

On November 16th, World Pancreatic Cancer Day aims to raise awareness of this deadly disease, with the ultimate goal of improving survival rates and reducing the risks of pancreatic cancer globally.

On behalf of the Champalimaud Research Programme on Digital Therapeutics led by Dr. John Krakauer and Dr. Joe Paton, we'd like to invite you to the workshop on interactive AI systems. At Digital Therapeutics group, our mission is to leverage cutting-edge technology to create evidence-based, personalised medical interventions to prevent, manage, or treat a broad spectrum of physical, mental, and behavioural conditions.

Cancer immunotherapy is any treatment that uses our own immune system to fight cancer. There are several types of immunotherapy, some of which are already being used routinely, and others still mostly experimental. They are generally a second line of treatment, following chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery. 

The new programme aims to increase the detection of MPM, focusing on workers at asbestos cement factories, in Portugal, who have been exposed to asbestos since the 1960’s, and covering a total of around 200 people who have already been identified by SOS Amianto.