Adriana Sánchez Danés, a group leader at Champalimaud Research is one of two researchers selected for the 7th edition of the Maratona da Saúde Investigation Award, which was organised in partnership with the Portuguese National Science Foundation (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia). The two were selected from a total of 109 applications and were awarded €20,000 each to support their work.

The words cinnamon, honey, and coffee may bring to mind a lovely breakfast, but SmellTracker has an original use for these and other everyday household items – COVID-19 tracking.

Cancer patients are particularly vulnerable during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, often due to compromised immunity that can be caused by the cancer itself, or the resulting treatment. However, as the situation continues, thoughts turn from solely dealing with the physical effects of the pandemic to caring for the mental wellbeing of these patients, who are already dealing with anxiety-inducing circumstances.

Locomotion deficits, such as lack of coordination, a shuffling gait, or loss of balance, can result from neurological conditions, specifically those that affect motor areas of the nervous system. To develop treatments, scientists often turn to animal models of disease. This strategy is crucial not only for designing potential therapies, but also for gaining insight into fundamental questions about the organisation and function of the nervous system.

CR 2019 Annual Report

As women enter their late 30’s they tend to experience fertility decline, as well as increased risks of miscarriage and birth defects. Why does this happen? And can it be prevented, or even reversed? Researchers Zita Santos and Carlos Ribeiro of the Behaviour and Metabolism lab at Champalimaud Research have just been awarded a GCRLE Pilot Award to tackle these questions.

On a hot summer day, in a darkened chamber, a video camera follows a couple as it engages in nature’s oldest game – courtship. The male sings and chases after the female when suddenly a long tubular organ emerges from her rear end. The male recoils at first, but then returns to investigate. Is this a sign that the female is interested in moving on to the next phase, or should he try his luck elsewhere?

From schools of fish, to herds of antelope and even human societies, one of the group’s many advantages is its inherent safety. Surrounded by their peers, individuals can lower their vigilance and calmly engage in other activities, such as foraging, or watching youtube videos.

Image: Clara Ferreira

In their latest development, published today (August 24th 2020) in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, the scientists at the Neuropsychiatry Unit, working in an international collaboration with colleagues from Harvard Medical School, used a novel neuroimaging method, called Lesion Network Analysis, to construct a connectivity map of brain lesions associated with mania. More precisely than ever, this map highlights the circuits connecting brain lesions that induce mania.

A balanced intake of essential amino acids is crucial to ensure the well-being and health of all animals. The essential amino acids are the building blocks of proteins but they also influence how much offspring animals produce, and what animals decide to eat.