Newsletter iMM
This month at iMM Luís Gra?a was recognized with the Pfizer clinical research award; Targtex was awarded by the European Research Innovation Council; Conversations with Scientists, a communication action during the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, was awarded with a prestigious European award; and three iMM researchers were recognized by the Scientific Prize of the University of Lisbon. 2023 ends well, with important achievements that renovate our energy for the year to come. Season's greetings!
Pfizer recognizes clinical research developed at iMM
Luís Gra?a, group leader at iMM, was awarded with the?Pfizer?Award 2023 in clinical research for his work developed by Jo?o Malato in collaboration?with?Manuel Carmo Gomes, from the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, published in the research journal?Lancet?Infectious Diseases, on the?stability of?hybrid immunity protection, conferred by the infection of vaccinated people, against the SARS-CoV-2 subvariant omicron BA.5. The results showed that when vaccinated people are infected, they acquire greater protection against a possible reinfection, with a greater effect when the infection is with an omicron variant virus. "It was also possible to assess the decrease in protection acquired by hybrid immunity over time. It was found that the protection acquired in people vaccinated after an infection progressively decreases over the following 8 months but, even at the end of this period, the protection remains quite robust", says Luís Gra?a.
These?data?were used to define public health recommendations?appropriate to the state of protection of the Portuguese population, namely regarding the need for and the most appropriate time to administer booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Pfizer prizes result from a partnership between Pfizer and the Lisbon Medical Sciences Society and aim at boosting health?research in Portugal.?
In the basic research category, Sandra Morais Cardoso and Nuno Empadinhas, from the Center for Neurosciences and Cell Biology from the University of?Coimbra?were recognized for their work demonstrating a correlation between changes in the gut microbiome and the onset and progression of Parkinson's disease.
Targtex awarded with 14€ million for the validation of a therapy against glioblastoma
Targtex, a biotechnology company based on research developed at iMM led by the group leader Gon?alo Bernardes, has been awarded European Innovation Council Accelerator?program. The company will receive 14 million euros for the clinical validation of its main product, a small molecule for a highly targeted therapy against Glioblastoma Multiforme.
Recently, the European Innovation Council and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Executive Agency (EISMEA) announced the 47 winning companies of the European Innovation Council's Accelerator program. This program offers start-ups and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises grants of up to 2.5 million euros, combined with investments through the European Innovation Council Fund ranging from 0.5 to 15 million euros or more. In addition to financial support, all projects have access to services that facilitate business development.
“Conversations with Scientists: Decades of Research for Days of (COVID-19) Vaccines”
Campaign Wins Prestigious European Award
In a significant recognition of the efforts to bridge the gap between science and the public, the “Conversations with Scientists: Decades of Research for Days of Vaccines” campaign was awarded the 2021-2023 Best European Campaign by the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) and the European Federation of Immunological Societies (EFIS).
Launched during the European Vaccination Week in April 2021, the campaign was a collaborative effort between COLife, an alliance of six life sciences research institutions in the region of Lisbon and Oeiras, i3S in Porto, the Portuguese Society of Immunology (SPI), and Ciência Viva - the National Agency for Scientific and Technological Culture. Over a span of ten days, 121 scientists from various Portuguese institutions engaged in around 400 sessions, reaching audiences from all corners of Portugal and even extending digital outreach to East Timor and S?o Tomé and Príncipe.?Scientists interacted with over 10 000 individuals, predominantly young people, discussing the intricacies of the scientific process and the distinction between applied and fundamental science. The dialogues provided clarity on how decades of scientific research culminated in the swift creation of effective and safe COVID-19 vaccines. “To better prepare scientists for these interactions, the campaign organisers produced several materials, from FAQ to presentations, and provided training on both scientific and communication topics. I believe this was key for the impact that this campaign had”, highlighted?co-organizer Inês Domingues.
The accolade from IUIS and EFIS, which champions the benefits of immunology research, further cements the campaign’s role in having fostered trust and understanding between the scientific community and society. The SPI thanks everyone involved, and EFIS and IUIS for recognizing this collaborative effort.
Three iMM researchers awarded with the University of Lisbon Scientific Prize
The?iMM researchers?Miguel Prudêncio, Nuno Santos, and?Joaquim Ferreira?were awarded with the 2023 Scientific Prize of the University of Lisbon, sponsored by Caixa Geral de Depósitos. The researchers were awarded in the categories of Biomedical Sciences, ?Biotechnology, and Health, respectively. This prize aims to promote research and encourage the publication of work in internationally recognized scientific journals.
Season's Greetings and Happy New Year!