The event ‘paved the way’ for scientific exchange and collaboration between RISE-Health researchers.
The RISE-Health Research Unit held the 1st RISE-Health UBI Symposium on 9 and 10 July, an event attended by Fernando Schmitt, director of the country’s largest research unit.
Co-ordinated by Liliana Bernardino, a member of the organising committee for this initiative, the first edition of the RISE-Health UBI Symposium promoted scientific exchange, interdisciplinary collaboration and the dissemination of the research carried out at this centre.
According to the RISE-Health specialist, the 1st RISE-Health Symposium “represents an important milestone in the consolidation of RISE-Health within health research. The event highlighted the research unit’s ability to integrate fundamental, translational and clinical research, aimed at addressing real challenges facing health and society”.
Held at the Municipal Assembly Auditorium of Covilhã, the event—which attracted around 130 participants—was marked by a Call for Papers that enabled the sharing of more than 60 scientific papers by researchers from RISE-Health and the University of Beira Interior.
“Several papers of high scientific quality and with potential translational and clinical impact were presented. Of particular note were studies aimed at understanding disease mechanisms, identifying biomarkers, developing new therapeutic approaches and improving strategies for diagnosis, monitoring and intervention in the community,” explains Liliana Bernardino.
According to the researcher, “The papers presented contribute to a better understanding of disease mechanisms, to the identification of new biomarkers and to the development of new therapies, technological platforms, prevention strategies and community health intervention strategies. Taken together, they reinforce the mission of transforming scientific knowledge into an impact on health”.
The event also featured a round-table discussion under the theme “Science, Innovation and Impact: The New Funding Landscape in Portugal and Europe”, which, according to the specialist “highlighted the importance of aligning scientific excellence, innovation and societal impact. National and European funding opportunities were discussed, as were the need to strengthen the competitiveness of institutions and the importance of bringing academic research closer to knowledge transfer, innovation and the real needs of society. Various aspects were emphasised and discussed, including skills development, management strategies, communication strategies, the importance of participating in European scientific networks, the importance of innovation, and strategies to increase impact and success in securing funding.”
In Fernando Schmitt’s view, “events such as the 1st RISE-Health UBI Symposium are fundamental because they foster knowledge sharing, the creation of new collaborations and the emergence of ideas capable of generating innovation and impact”.
Speaking at the event, the director of RISE-Health also noted that the country’s largest research unit aims “to increase participation in international networks, attract more competitive funding, promote researcher mobility and develop advanced training programmes in collaboration with leading European institutions. At the same time, we intend to continue investing in the development of young researchers, ensuring the conditions are in place for them to pursue scientific careers of excellence in Portugal”.
“Our goal for 2030 is to consolidate RISE-Health as an international benchmark in health research, contributing to better healthcare, better training and a more informed and engaged society”, he emphasised during his speech at the event.
The Symposium concluded with the presentation of awards for the best scientific papers, thereby recognising the quality of the research produced by RISE-Health’s experts.