News # 4 | mar. 2009 « News@fmul News@fmul

News # 4 | mar. 2009

Editorial Note

Message from the President of the Institute of Molecular Medicine

The Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM) was founded at the end of 2001, and is made up of the FMUL research units that are most highly qualified in the processes of external assessment. It truly took shape as a research institute in 2004, when it occupied the Egas Moniz Building. From the outset it was considered to be particularly important to include the Faculty of Medicine and the Santa Maria Hospital as associate founders. For this reason it shares with them a desire to go ahead with the idea of setting up a Hospital Academic Centre, which will be decisive […]

FMUL News

Test Your Roots

Our origins live with us, are in our genes, and are a part of our heritage. People all over the world are increasingly trying to discover their ascendance, where their ancestors lived and travelled. In answering this curiosity, we also discover a little more about what life was like at a given time, what the conditioning factors at the time were, about historical migrations and cultural influences. Those who set out on this activity of discovering their roots tends to become addicted, given that genealogy ends up becoming a sort of game with the aim of going back as far […]

New FMUL Statutes

On the 26th of February the Portuguese Parliament Log Diário da República, 2ª série, nº 40, published, after having been approved by the Statutory Assembly, and further approved by the Chancellor of the University of Lisbon, the Statutes of the Faculty of Medicine (FMUL). These new statutes have been drawn up in accordance with the Juridical Regime of the Higher Education Institutions (RJIES) taking into account the Statutes of the University of Lisbon previously approved in its Statutory Assembly and published in the Portuguese Parliament Log on the 1st of August 2008. In relation to the previous statutes of the […]

EMBO Installation Grant for Tiago Outeiro

The Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience Unit team. Front centre, Tiago Outeiro The research fellow Tiago Fleming Outeiro, of the Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM), has won an Installation Grant from the EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organization). He also had the merit of having been classified first among the 32 European candidates, in which only seven of them obtained financing for their projects. This award represents an amount that will be distributed over five years and will be applied to the research carried out in the Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience Unit of the IMM, which Tiago Outeiro has coordinated since 2007. […]

Pfizer Awards distinguish two IMM Teams in the Areas of HIV and Cancer

Clinical Immunology Unit team coordinated by Professor Ana Espada de Sousa (Rita Cavaleiro, first author of the work, fifth from right). The winners of both the 2008 Pfizer Prizes, attributed every year to research works in medicine, are researchers at the IMM. The awards, worth twenty thousand euros each, were awarded respectively to works carried out in the IMM’s Clinical Immunology Unit and Cancer Biology Unit. Rita Cavaleiro is the first author of the work “Monocyte-mediated T cell suppression by HIV-2 envelope proteins” (authors: Rita Cavaleiro, Gregory J. Brunn, Adriana S. Albuquerque, Rui M. M. Victorino, Jeffrey L. Platt and […]

Ad Hoc Committee for Advice on Curricular Reform

Precisely three years after the holding of the first evaluation of the Medicine Course by the Ad Hoc Committee for Advice on Curricular Reform, the second meeting of this committee, formed by Professors Fernando Lopes da Silva and M. Alistair Warren, was held on the 20th and 21st of February. The evaluation programme related to the first five curricular years of the Medicine Course, with the day being devoted to the first three years and the second day devoted to the 4th and 5th clinical years. The activities covered sessions in the Amphitheatre 57 in the Egas Moniz Building, where […]

Election of the Chancellor of the University of Lisbon

On the 4th of March last, the public audience of the three candidates accepted for the position of Chancellor of the University of Lisbon was held in the Chancellery PhD Hall, with video broadcast in the Noble Hall and on the University of Lisbon portal. The order of the speeches was: 10.30 am – António Sampaio da Nóvoa 2.30 pm – António Carlos de Sá Fonseca 4.30 pm – Nuno Manuel de Carvalho Ferreira Guimarães The documents relating to the candidates accepted may be consulted, along with the content of the public audience, on the portal of the University of […]

News Report / Profile

José Rino – Bioimaging Unit

In science a picture may be worth much more than a thousand words. Perhaps due to this microscopy has always been a strong ally in research in the Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM). Nowadays the IMM research teams that do not apply it to the pressing issues of cell and development biology, neurosciences, immunology or infection are the exception. The IMM Bioimaging Unit was created in 2008 as the natural culmination of the institute’s commitment to supporting and developing the use of microscopy not only by IMM researchers, but also by the whole Portuguese and International scientific community. The existing […]

Events

IMM Seminars

The Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM) Seminars take place every Monday at 12 noon in Amphitheatre 57 in the Egas Moniz Building. These seminars are presented by leading researches at the IMM, as well as by international guests of renown. They are open to the whole scientific community, and intend to promote the exchange of ideas and debate over scientific issues. They are an opportunity to spend an hour devoting one’s time to the most recent research in the field of biomedicine. Cheila Almeida Marta Agostinho (marta-elisa@fm.ul.pt) Communication and Training Unit Institute of Molecular Medicine http://www.imm.ul.pt

Oncology Series – Research in Oncology applied to Clinical Practice

The IMM and the Santa Maria Hospital (HSM) have begun, since October 2008, a new series of seminars specifically devoted to research in oncology. These sessions intend to be an opportunity for the presenting and debating of the work carried out in the area of cancer by internationally-renowned specialists. The initiative for the seminars belongs to Professor Luís Costa, Director of the HSM Oncology Service and Director of the IMM’s Applied Research in Clinical Oncology Unit (UIAOC). The main aim of these sessions is to promote the development of new approaches in the different areas of research applied to clinical […]

More and Better

IMM-BioBank – A Biological Sample Bank for Clinical Biomedical Research in Portugal

A biobank is being set up in the Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM) that is intended to support clinical biomedical research in Portugal. The IMM-BioBank has already been approved by the Santa Maria Hospital Ethics Committee, operates in premises granted to it by the FMUL, and has the financial support of the High Commissariat for Health. The main aim of the biobank is to serve as a support element for studies in molecular, clinical and epidemiological research into diseases that affect the populations, such as, for example, neurodegenerative, oncological and rheumatic diseases. The intention is to create an infrastructure that […]

Eating for the Oncology Patient

Science encounters Clinical Practice – Publication of the book Eating for the Oncology Patient – Distributed free to patients and health professionals Diet may be essential in the success of recovery for oncology patients. It was with the intention of helping these patients that two researchers and teachers from the IMM Nutrition and Metabolism Unit, Paula Ravasco and Maria Ermelinda Camilo, recently published a book about “Eating for the Oncology Patient”. The book brings together a set of nutrition recommendations based on scientific evidence, written in clear and accessible language both for professionals and for patients and family members, and […]

Research and Advanced Education

Being a PhD Student at the Institute of Molecular Medicine

“Join up, they said…” bemoan the unfortunate Roman soldiers in the Asterix stories who, having been tempted into belonging to a strong army and a good life, cyclically end up in the hands of the bold Gallic heroes. “Join up, come and do a PhD in the IMM”, we challenge. But unlike the Roman soldiers, we do not expect to hear disappointment from the mouths of the young researchers who choose the IMM to carry out their PhD projects. Along with becoming a member of excellent research groups, being a PhD student at the IMM means belonging to a team […]

GenoMed – Science at the Service of Clinical Practice

The decoding of the human genome in 2001 gave rise to an explosion of new knowledge and technologies that are revolutionising our capacities to identify and treat a growing number of human illnesses. The major challenge of the post-genomic era lies in capitalising upon this vast field of knowledge, developing better tests for diagnosis and prognosis, and new therapeutic approaches. It is in this context that GenoMed arises, a spin-off from the IMM, created in 2004 with the aim of promoting the transfer of technology and scientific knowledge in the areas of molecular biology and genetics to clinical practice. GenoMed […]

Academic Exams carried out at the FMUL

Clinical Microbiology Subject of Thesis: “Plasmodium Infection of Mammalian Host: Effects of Vitamin D” Nuno Baltazar do Carmo saber mais Subject of Thesis: “Study of the Dissemination of Enterococcus Faecalis vanA + in Different Environments” Marta Ruivo saber mais Subject of Thesis: “Evaluation of the I329L as a candidate to delete for productions of a viral attenuated vaccine against ASFV” Ana Catarina Mota Correia saber mais Subject of Thesis: “Genetic and Phenotypical Study of Operões fsr E gelE-sprE in different species and Enterococcus” Neuza dos Prazeres Lima Teixeira saber mais Neurophthalmology Subject of Thesis: “Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations: Cocipital and Cerebellous. Neurop […]

Teacher Participation on Juries for Academic Assessment in other Institutions

Teachers: Professor Daniel José Branco de Sampaio Exam: Masters in Psychiatry and Mental Health Title: “Evaluation of the Impact of Mental Perturbances on the Family, and Implementation of a Psycho-educational Programme” Instituition: Faculty of Medicine of the University of Oporto

Moments

FATHER’s Day

Rui Fonseca (rfonseca@fm.ul.pt) UTI – Information Technology and Communications Father of Catarina (aged 7) and Raquel (aged 4) What a difficult task, this of writing about Father’s Day… It seems simple, for someone who is the father of two children, but it isn’t! So I hope not to be boring in the few words and transcriptions about the several different phases of (my) life as a FATHER. When we get the news, whether a surprise or not, the joy is immense. We rush straight out to tell our parents (future grandparents), friends and neighbours; indeed, it’s as if we gained […]

Carnation and Cinnamon Spring

“Spring is the first season of the years. It is in the spring that the hens lay eggs and the farmers lay potatoes” – statement attributed to a primary school pupil. This is, of course, a comical explanation, but it nevertheless has some basis in fact… (Obviously not in relation to the potatoes, but because it sees spring as the first season of the year). Coming from the Latin primo vere (“before summer”), it has since Antiquity been symbolically associated to the restarting of the cycles of nature. For this reason, when I was given the chance to contribute to […]

From the Feet of Christ the King to Belem Gardens

“From the Feet of Christ the King to Belem Gardens” is our challenge to take advantage of the opportunity that exists, once a year, to run and/or walk across the 25th of April Bridge across the River Tagus. One can enjoy this river crossing without any cars and take in the landscape, contribute to one’s health and physical well-being and enjoy this social event. This invitation is for the XIX International Lisbon Half Marathon, organized by the Portugal Marathon Club, and taking place on the 22nd of March 2009 at 10.30 am. The run begins at the toll booths on […]

Open Space

Postgraduate Studying in Psychology of Abuse Behaviour at the FMUL

Since the happy times of my Degree in Clinical Psychology the phenomenon of dependency behaviour has guided my academic interests, clearly favoured by the hegemony of such a generous motivational advantage that instigates us into the successful completion of the most arduous tasks. As chance events would have it, presumably not as randomly as one might consider, I joined the specialty consultations of the HSM Psychiatry Service (ethyl-risk and drug abuse), thus embodying a passion that ironically must activate my pleasure brain circuits. Thus, with the announcement of the holding of the I Masters Course in Dependency Behaviour and its […]

Comments and Suggestions

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Listening to FMUL

Student Statistics – RAIDES

The Statistical Survey of the Register of Students Enrolled and Qualified in Higher Education (RAIDES) is an annual survey aimed at all higher education institutions about the students matriculated, enrolled and qualified requested by the Office of Planning, Strategy, Assessment and International Relations (GPEARI) of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education. Since 2008/09, and in order to simplify the collecting of these data, improving and enriching the information gathered, the GPEARI replaced the DIMAS survey with the RAIDES. The major difference between these two databases (DB) lies in the possibility of exporting the information, in the case of […]

Keep in Mind

Studying Medicine at the FMUL: Candidate’s Day 2009

On March 12th 2009 the FMUL opens its doors, promoting the event “Studying Medicine at the FMUL – Candidate’s Day”. This initiative is only aimed at 12th grade students who intend to apply for the Integrated Masters in Medicine. We invite you to visit a renowned institution of public higher education, to get to know the laboratories, the experiences, the scientific and pedagogical/academic activities! An opportunity for the candidates to interact and bring up their doubts and obtain answers. We request a pre-enrolment by e-mail: estudarmedicina@fm.ul.pt or on 21 798 51 00 (indicating name, age, school, place, e-mail and phone […]

Initiation to SPSS Course for FMUL Students

The initiation to SPSS course for FMUL students will take place in a virtual environment from the 14th to the 28th of March, with an attended session set for the 21st, and enrolments taking place between the 2nd and 6th of the same month. Aware of the importance of statistics, particularly in the field of scientific research, GAPIC, as an office of support for scientific research, namely on the undergraduate level, is organizing this course in order to provide a response to some of the needs felt by FMUL students. In this course, besides showing the potential of statistics in […]

New Trends in Heart Failure Portuguese-American Meeting in Lisbon

The New Trends in Heart Failure Portuguese-American Meeting in Lisbon will be held at the Lisbon Marriott Hotel on the 20th and 21st of March. – programme and enrolment form –

42nd Course in Pneumology for Postgraduates: UPDATE in Pneumology

The FMUL/HSM Pneumology Clinic will hold, from the 26th to 28th of March, the 42nd Pneumology Course for Postgraduates, dedicated to the subject UPDATE IN PNEUMOLOGY. The course, the director of which is Professor A. Bugalho de Almeida, will take place in the Cardinal de Medeiros Auditorium in the Catholic University of Lisbon and its main aim will be to update knowledge in the areas it deals with. On the 26th and 27th of March there will be a Theoretical/Practical Course, with a limited number of enrolments (maximum 50 people), on “Functional respiratory evaluation from spirometry to plethysmography”. – programme […]

Course in Paediatric Neurology

On the 31st of March and the 1st of April, the HSM – CHLN Paediatrics Service will be holding the Course in Paediatric Neurology in the Aula Magna of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon. – programme and enrolment form –

Breast Multidisciplinary Course

The Breast Multidisciplinary Course, organized by the HSM-CHLN Radiotherapy Service, will be held on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of April in the Amphitheatre 58 of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon. – programme –

Endocrinology Family Medicine

Organization by the Endicronology Service of the Santa Maria Hospital On the 6th and 7th of April the III Endocrinology for Family Medicine Conferences will be held in the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon Egas Moniz Building. On the morning of the first day two courses with limited numbers of enrolments will be held on two issues of great importance in the everyday management of a major health area: Nutrition and Insulinotherapy Over the two days aspects also of great interest for daily clinical practice will be focused upon: – Sexology – Thyroid Nodule – Diabetes – […]

Advanced Training Institute Post-Graduate Courses

I POSTGRADUATE REFRESHER COURSE ON ETHICAL END-OF-LIFE DECISIONS Dates March 19, 20 and 21 2009 – Professor Cid dos Santos Amphitheatre in the FMUL Target Public Doctors, nurses, psychologists and social service technicians, or other professionals interested in the subject. Enrolment Conditions Enrolments by March 18th 2009 – programme – VI POSTGRADUATE REFRESHER COURSE ON MOURNING Dates March 13 and 14 2009 – Professor Cid dos Santos Amphitheatre in the FMUL Target PublicDoctors, nurses, psychologists and social service technicians, or other professionals interested in the subject of mourning or who work with people in the process of mourning. Enrolment Conditions […]

Elections to the Assembly of the Lisbon Faculty of Medicina and to the Pedagogical Council

On the 31st of March 2009 the elections to the Faculty Assembly and to the Pedagogical Council will be held from 9 am to 4 pm. The Electoral Calendar, drawn up through a dispatch by the Dean are affixed here for consultation: http://www.fm.ul.pt/pub/despacho20_2009.pdf and http://www.fm.ul.pt/pub/despacho21_2009.pdf