Professor at Ciências, Margarida Amaral, joins the founding group of the FEBS Research Academy

Margarida Amaral, Professor at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon (Ciências ULisboa) and researcher at BioISI, has been appointed Founding Member of the FEBS Research Academy, a distinction that places her among a select group of internationally recognised scientists. In this interview, she shares the significance of this recognition, reflects on its impact on the research carried out at Ciências ULisboa, and leaves a message for the new generations of researchers.

What means to you being chosen as a Founding Member of the FEBS Research Academy?

Being selected as a founding member represents the formal recognition of exceptional scientific achievements, leadership and lasting contributions to the molecular life sciences. As the Academy is currently defining its identity, traditions and standards of excellence, this appointment carries particular significance, as it offers the opportunity to help shape its future development, initiatives and core values.

Considering that this Academy brings together some of the most prestigious international figures in the life sciences, including Nobel Prize laureates, what does it mean to be part of this founding group?

Becoming part of this group, which already includes several Nobel Prize laureates who have accepted invitations as honorary founding members, means
joining an elite community dedicated to scientific excellence in the molecular life sciences. It represents inclusion in an international forum for exchange and leadership, where scientists whose discoveries shape the future of science collaborate to strengthen the role of the life sciences in society.

In your view, what might be the impact of the FEBS Research Academy in promoting scientific excellence and international collaboration?

The Academy aims to become a prestigious
international centre of excellence, acting as a catalyst for research, innovation and collaboration among scientists worldwide. Its impact will lie in strengthening the voice of science at the international level and supporting activities that advance knowledge for the benefit of society.

In what ways do you believe this appointment could strengthen the visibility of the research carried out at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon and at BioISI?

The prestige associated with this appointment is directly reflected in the home institution, with members encouraged to use the designation FRAM (FEBS Research Academy Member) in their affiliations to help disseminate the recognition and standing of FEBS. The presence of a member of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon within such a select group of leading researchers, including Nobel Prize laureates, enhances the international visibility of the research conducted here. In this context, this recognition represents a strategic opportunity that, I sincerely hope, my Institution will be able to capitalise on to strengthen its global positioning and the prestige of the excellent science we produce.

Throughout your career, which moments or contributions do you consider to have been most decisive for this recognition?

This recognition undoubtedly reflects contributions made throughout my scientific career, considered by FEBS as exceptional for advancing knowledge, and which have resulted in nearly 200 publications in leading journals such as Cell, PNAS, Nature Genetics and Lancet Respiratory Medicine. As evidence of the global impact of this research, I have been recognised among the top 2% of Highly Cited Researchers since 2020 (Mendeley/Stanford University) and currently hold the 2nd position in Portugal in the field of Molecular Biology (Research.com).

I believe other decisive factors have also contributed, including the impact of mentoring and training, through leading national and international doctoral programmes, supervising more than 25 PhD students and numerous
postdoctoral researchers; leadership and international collaboration, with participation in 44 research projects and scientific coordination of major multicentre European consortia; institutional and peer recognition, such as
election to EMBO and the Lisbon Academy of Sciences; and distinctions of merit, including the Pfizer Award for Basic Biomedical Research and the Annual Prize of the European Cystic Fibrosis Society, which validate the quality and relevance of the science we develop.

As a founding member, what contribution do you hope to make to the development and activities of the FEBS Research Academy?

I hope to contribute actively to establishing the guidelines and missions of the FEBS Research Academy, taking part in meetings and initiatives that help define its direction and energise its activities. My contribution will involve providing scientific advice and guidance, proposing and supporting FEBS initiatives that promote excellence both in research and in the training of new scientists.

I also intend to draw on my leadership experience to support future generations of researchers, strengthening the voice of science at the international level. In this regard, I consider it very important to help influence the national policies of FEBS member countries, encouraging them to reinforce their scientific career structures so that young people do not give up on science.

What message would you like to leave to young researchers who aspire to build a scientific career with international impact?

The message I would like to convey is that excellence and deep, lasting impact in science are the keys to international recognition, even if, at times, such recognition takes longer to arrive at the national or institutional level. One of the central aims of the FEBS Research Academy is to support future generations of researchers, and the fact that this invitation comes from a global elite committee demonstrates that scientific merit and contributions to advancing knowledge are ultimately the values that prevail. My advice is to remain focused on the quality of research and on professional integrity, as validation by international peers ultimately recognises the resilience and vision of those who work for the benefit of society.

Would you like to add any reflection on what this distinction means for Portuguese science?

This distinction highlights the quality of the science produced in Portugal, placing a Portuguese researcher alongside the most prominent figures in the field worldwide. As Portugal is one of the constituent countries of FEBS, this election demonstrates that national research meets the highest standards of international excellence and plays an active role in shaping the future of the molecular life sciences in Europe and beyond.