The Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon (Ciências ULisboa) will launch, in the 2026/2027 academic year, the Carolina Fernandes-Henriques Research Initiation Grant, an initiative intended to support undergraduate students in Biology with an interest in scientific research and a track record marked by academic, sporting, and social involvement.
CIÊNCIAS launches the Carolina Fernandes-Henriques Grant to support Biology students
João Carlos Silva
Grants, Biology•27 May, 2026
Created in honor of Carolina Fernandes-Henriques, a former student at Ciências ULisboa, the grant was established to perpetuate the human, academic, and scientific legacy of a young researcher who profoundly marked everyone who knew her.
Carolina distinguished herself not only for her academic excellence and scientific curiosity, but also for her human qualities, being remembered for her empathy, genuineness, determination, and resilience. After beginning her path in the Bachelor's degree in Biology at our Faculty, where she was one of the first students awarded a scholarship from the Fundação Amadeu Dias (Amadeu Dias Foundation), she continued her studies and research at several leading international institutions, culminating in the completion of her PhD in Neurosciences at the City University of New York (CUNY), in the United States of America.
Carolina Fernandes-Henriques on the banks of the River Thames, next to the famous Tower Bridge, in London.
In parallel with her scientific career, she also stood out for her active participation in various areas of university and civic life, including competitive sports, student representation, volunteering, and initiatives to promote women in science.
Her sudden passing, in 2024, at the age of 30, was a deeply felt loss for the academic community, family members, friends, and colleagues. Inspired by her example, this scholarship was created thanks to the generous contribution of her family, seeking to support students who demonstrate not only academic merit and scientific potential, but also initiative, creativity, social commitment, and active participation in extracurricular activities.
Carolina wearing her graduation gown from the City University of New York (CUNY), in the United States of America.
The Carolina Fernandes-Henriques Research Initiation Grant will last five months and will allow students to develop a research project supervised by a PhD faculty member from the Department of Biology at Ciências ULisboa.
Students enrolled in the 2026/2027 academic year who are attending the 3rd year of the Bachelor’s degree in Biology, an Erasmus program, or a minor associated with the field of Biology may apply. The evaluation criteria will include academic performance, motivation for scientific research, and proven participation in extracurricular activities, such as sports, arts, volunteering, student associations, or other civic engagement initiatives.
With this initiative, Ciências ULisboa aims to stimulate interest in scientific research among Biology students and, at the same time, to value multidimensional paths, inspired by the values and example of Carolina Fernandes-Henriques.
The opening of applications is scheduled for September 2026. More information about the regulations and the application process will be disclosed shortly on the Carolina Fernandes-Henriques Grant page.