Students of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon (FMUL) attended the 5th YES Meeting, and André dos Santos Rocha and Ruben Duque do Vale were awarded prizes for their research work.

The fifth YES Meeting edition, organised by the students of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, took place on 23-26 September 2010. Once again, several FMUL students went all the way to Porto to take part.
Students attended several of the sessions and activities included in the programme, and a few presented research they have been undertaking at FMUL research units.
Out of the work submitted, the following stand out: the research carried out by student André dos Santos Rocha, titled “Low doses of ionizing radiation promote tumour growth and metastases by enhancing angiogenesis”, which was awarded the Prize for Best Oral Presentation in the category “Oncology and Molecular Biology”, and the work by student Ruben Duque do Vale, called “Detailing the age-related effects of memantine on long-term potentiation”, which was awarded First Prize in the Poster Session “Neurosciences”.
Below are the testimonials of the prize winners…

André dos Santos Rocha, year 4 medical student at FMUL
andrerocha@campus.ul.pt 

«I attended the 5th YES Meeting and presented the research project I am doing at the Molecular Medicine Institute (IMM), in the Angiogenesis Unit, led by Professor Susana Constantino. The projected is called “Low doses of ionizing radiation promote tumour growth and metastases by enhancing angiogenesis”. The presentation attracted a lot of media attention and the clinical impact of our discoveries fuelled a fruitful debate between moderators/lecturers and students. Maybe that was the reason why I was awarded the Prize for Best Oral Presentation in the category “Oncology and Molecular Biology”.
Once again, this congress was a major success, extremely well organised, attracting the active and passive participation of international students from Europe and worldwide. These sort of meetings are always very useful and rewarding…well before I was informed I had won the prize, at a magnificent dinner at the Tiara Hotel in Porto, I was already happy with this experience: the medical and human relations that are formed, the knowledge of science beyond borders, the social programme, the testimonials of great doctors and researchers, and in my case, I was honoured to be given a place to present my modest contribution to Science.
However, even more unforgettable than the moment I was given a monetary award, knowing we are undergoing a difficult economic situation where Science is the first to suffer from financial cuts, was the opportunity to see that students are given an opportunity to present their work, something which is being nurtured in Portugal as part of the concept of Doctor/Researcher. This is something we should encourage, and our faculty should be praised for the many basic, clinical, and translational internships it organizes, due to its cooperation with IMM and the fact that many of our lecturers are researchers themselves. It is about this 3rd fact I shall refer to next…
My project is a symbol, in my opinion, of the concept that should be extended to medicine as a whole: the connection between basic sciences and clinical practice! At the Angiogenesis Unit, we work closely and on a daily basis with the Radiotherapy and Vascular Surgery Services of Santa Maria Hospital (HSM). The conclusions I presented in Porto stem from this collaboration: molecular, cell, and systemic understanding of the effects of medical therapies in cancer, more specifically, radiotherapy.
I learned a few lessons at this congress, many of which coming through the voice of Professor Aaron Ciechanover, Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry in 2004. He drew our attention to the challenges posed by Science: science is not a speedy process, nor an efficient process. It is necessary to have a curious mind and to investigate the mysteries of the human body.
It was a superb experience, both in terms of the research work and of the actual congress. Accordingly, my message to all students is that they participate in these activities, because what one learns and the ties we establish constitute unique opportunities».

Ruben Duque do Vale, year 5 medical student at FMUL
rduquedovale@gmail.com 

«The 5th Young European Scientist Meeting took place last September in Porto, organised by students of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, (FMUP). In what has become one of the biggest events at a European level, the organisation has brought together about four hundred medical students from over twenty five countries, all sharing an interest in biomedical research. They also succeeded in inviting internationally renowned scientists in the most distinct fields, from Robotics to Oncology, who presented the research they are currently undertaking and shared their knowledge as experienced researchers.
I decided to participate in this meeting and presented a project I started about a year ago at the Neuroscience Unit of the Molecular Medicine Institute, supervised by Professor Maria José Diógenes. My application was approved and I had the opportunity of presenting the project “Detailing the age-related effects of memantine on long-term potentiation”, in a poster format.
This was the first opportunity I had to share the work I have been doing with other people equally interested in biomedical research. Besides, I have seen presentations from colleagues from distinct parts of the world, with whom I learned a lot, not only about the topics they are investigating, but also about their research methods and scientific theories. However, there is no doubt that the most amazing aspect of these 3 days has been the passion that all participants allocate to their own projects, and when they listen to presentations made by colleagues. Bringing together famed people such as Professor Aaron Ciechanover (Chemistry Nobel prize winner in 2004) or professor Sobrinho Simões form FMUP, and see how they make life out of Science, and give life to Science, is the biggest inspiration that any young researcher can have.
Despite having been awarded first prize for my poster in the Neuroscience category, I must say, with all honesty, that this recognition was not the most important at this meeting. The most important aspect was to be sure I made the best decision when, about a year ago, I applied to the Programme “Education through Science. This is because the type of Medicine I came across at the YES meeting is the sort of medicine I dream about, a combination of clinical medicine and translational research. And because a doctor is not merely a doctor, I very much hope to continue to have an active participation, with my humble contribution, in this Science which, in the end, is Medicine itself».

Editorial Team
news@fm.ul.pt