Meeting of Master's Programs in Biochemistry and Biomedicine presents student projects.

Some may dream of developing a new cancer therapy. For Diogo Velez, this path is already underway. For about five months, the student at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon (Ciências ULisboa) has been developing a project in a laboratory at the Champalimaud Foundation that uses live imaging techniques to study the interactions between acute myeloid leukemia cells and bone marrow cell niches involved in red blood cell production. “Understanding these interactions can contribute to identifying new therapeutic targets,” he explains.

The work was awarded first prize at the 8th Meeting of the Master's Program in Biochemistry and Biomedicine, which took place this Tuesday. The distinctions awarded at the end of the event recognized the scientific quality and clarity of the poster presentations given by the students.

“This master's program is characterized by its strong integration into current biomedical and biochemical research and by the scientific rigor of the projects developed,” states Margarida Gama Carvalho, professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and coordinator of the Master's program in Biochemistry and Biomedicine. “The Meeting provides an opportunity for sharing and public discussion of the dissertation stages that students have been developing since september in a real research context, in laboratories at Ciências ULisboa and partner institutions,” adds the professor from Ciências ULisboa.

In this 8th edition of the Biochemistry and Biomedicine Master's Meeting, which had over 100 registered participants, 27 projects were presented, distributed across areas such as neurological diseases, oncology, biomedicine, and molecular biotechnology. By the end of the academic year, these projects will be developed in research units associated with Ciências ULisboa, as well as in other partner institutions, providing direct contact with multidisciplinary teams. The poster titled “Characterization of Erythroblastic Islands and Their Dynamic Interactions with Patient-Derived Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells using Live Imaging in ZAvatars” earned Diogo Velez first place in the scientific communication evaluation.

The second prize was awarded to Joana Ratado for her work “Evaluating the Anticancer Potential of Peptide-Drug Conjugates in a Blood-Brain Barrier-Integrated In Vitro Model of Brain Metastases,” which studies the ability of a peptide-drug conjugate to cross the blood-brain barrier and act on tumor metastases in the brain using in vitro models. This work is being developed at the Gulbenkian Institute of Molecular Medicine (GIMM) and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon (FMUL). Third place went to Leonor Fernandes for her poster entitled “Uncovering How the Structure and Function of ETF Variants Shape the Metabolic Disorder MADD,” which focuses on the molecular characterization of a rare metabolic disease. This work was developed under the guidance of Professor Bárbara Henriques, BioISI, and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry of Ciências ULisboa.

The meeting featured a lecture by professor Joaquim Ferreira, vice-dean of FMUL and specialist in neurodegenerative diseases, who emphasized the importance of dialogue between fundamental research and clinical practice. The interaction between biochemistry, biomedicine, and medicine was highlighted as essential to responding to current challenges in the health field. "I need you," the university professor reiterated regarding the importance of young researchers trained in biochemistry and biomedicine for progress in the discovery of new treatments.

With high employability rates, graduates of the master's program pursue careers in academic research, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, scientific consulting, and other areas requiring advanced training in biosciences. "In addition to the scientific and technical component, our students develop communication skills, critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and teamwork, which guarantee their future success in any demanding professional environment," concludes Margarida Gama Carvalho.