Imagine the act of walking. It’s something most able-bodied people do without a second thought. Yet it is actually a complex process involving various neurological and physiological systems. PD is a condition where the brain slowly loses specific cells, called dopamine neurons, resulting in reduced strength and speed of movements. However, there’s another important aspect that gets affected: the length of actions. Someone with PD might not only move more slowly but also take fewer steps in a walking sequence or bout before stopping.

Rhiner's project seeks to understand the molecular and cellular circuits that help the brain recover from injuries. Damage to the nervous system disrupts the strongly linked networks of brain cells, leading to drastically altered cellular interactions that are not well understood. The BrainSySTEMic project is set to decode the molecular dialogues disrupted in injured brain tissues and discover new signalling pathways that encourage regeneration and strengthen the brain's ability to bounce back.

Location & Dates: Champalimaud Foundation, April 15th -19th 

Application deadline: March 1st

Acceptance notification: March 15th

Cost: €150 (payment deadline March 22nd)

Capacity: 20 Students

The course is scheduled to take place at the Champalimaud Institute in Lisbon from April 15 to April 19, 2024, and will be limited to 20 students.

Here, we highlight the observations, the questions, the approaches and strategies that showcase the creativity and critical thinking inherent in scientific research.

In science, creativity stands as a crucial, albeit sometimes underappreciated, skill. Creativity comes in a wide variety of forms and shapes, and often emerges from collaborative interactions among diverse minds, emphasising the importance of inclusivity and varied perspectives in driving forward groundbreaking research.

For some time now, the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer), the world’s body that defines carcinogens, has considered night shift work as a potential carcinogen.

But what about the general population of adults that are not night-shift workers and that sleep too little or go to bed too late – or have “poor quality" sleep, waking up repeatedly during the night? Are they also at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease or cancer and are therefore more likely to die prematurely than people whose sleep patterns are considered healthier?

We are used to hearing about vaccines that prevent diseases, protecting us from them before we ever catch them. They train the immune system to recognise and fight common bacteria and viruses. One or several shots suffice to ensure that, when we are actually confronted with the danger, our body’s immune system will produce the right cells and antibodies to protect us: the disease will be prevented before it ever affects our body. Sometimes the vaccine’s effects are lifelong, in other cases you need a periodical boost to maintain a strong level of immunity.

The objective of this partnership will be focused on research and improvement of medicine dedicated to the treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer.

This collaboration will reinforce scientific exchange between the two institutions and will be led by doctors and researchers from both institutions such as Carlos Carvalho and Sherman Moreira from the Champalimaud Foundation, and Gustavo Guimarães, Bendito Rossi and Fabio Kater from Beneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo.

“HALLO,” Robin typed on the keyboard.
“HALLO, HOW ARE YOU FEELING?” replied ELIZA, the printed words appearing instantly on the VDU [computer screen]. 
“I’M FEELING TERRIBLE,” Robin replied. 
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT PRECISELY?” 
“I’M FEELING DEPRESSED.” 
“WHY DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DEPRESSED?”
“BECAUSE I’M LONELY.” 
“DO YOU LIVE WITH YOUR FAMILY?”
“NO.”
“DO YOU HAVE ANY FRIENDS?” 
“NOT REALLY.” 
“WHY IS THAT?”