Did you know that the summer months are among those where blood donations become more necessary? It is true, hence the appeal of the Faculty to Help, a social responsibility project of the FMUL, to do so in this time of special need. In the issue of 14 June last, Expresso reported that the number of new blood donors has been falling for five years.

Indeed, this newspaper wrote that, “national blood reserves are at comfortable levels and guarantee self-sufficiency, but the IPST wants to attract more donors in future”. For anyone who works and studies at, or goes, for any reason, to the Northern Lisbon Hospital Centre, it is very easy to give blood, in the CHLN Blood Donors unit, EPE. Give blood! You will see that it does not hurt at all!

With regard to the University of Lisbon, the outstanding news is undoubtedly the re-election of Professor António Cruz Serra as Rector of the University.

We highlight the 28º Anniversary of GAPIC – Office for the Support of Scientific and Technological Research and Innovation, which has had a long and fruitful path in support of what is best done in this house, in the scope of scientific research and entrepreneurship. The video created for this purpose recalls its founder, the late Professor David Ferreira, and evokes the future.

Finally, we highlight the first edition of the course All about Clinical Research …a focused training for the busy investigators and study teams, which was held on 22 and 23 May at the Association for Research and Development of the Faculty of Medicine (AIDFM).

Good readings and, if it is the case, good holidays!

The Editorial Team

andresilva@medicina.ulisboa.pt