TWIN2PIPSA was in the 2023 European Researchers' Night in Lisbon, Portugal

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04 October, 2023

Funded by the European Commission, the European Researchers' Night event has been spreading scientific knowledge and stimulating the minds of young people through fun and interactive activities. Aiming to bring research and researchers closer to the public, this year's event took place in 26 countries across Europe, including Portugal.

The 2023 European Researcher's Night in Lisbon was held in the National Museum of Science & Natural History, with coordination of the University of Lisbon, comprised more than 100 on-site activities with the theme "Science for All - Sustainability and Inclusion". The TWIN2PIPSA project was also represented in the 2023 European Researcher's Night with different activities carried out by our researchers.

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From left to right: André Gomes (MSc student), Marta Baptista (PhD student), Miguel Machuqueiro, PhD, and Paulo Costa, PhD.

From Structure to Function - 3D Visualization of the Molecules of Life

All genetic information associated with human identity is expressed through genes, which are made up of specific sequences of DNA that contain a code (instructions) to produce functional proteins.

Using molecular visualization methods, the TWIN2PIPSA researchers Miguel Machuqueiro, PhD, and Paulo Costa, PhD, showed how to represent DNA/RNA and protein structures, and how to relate their dynamics to their specific functions. They also demonstrated how small modifications in the DNA sequences (mutations) can have the power to trigger some human diseases and how therapeutic drugs can bind to DNA or target proteins to prevent those diseases.

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The sea is a catalog of innovative products

Natural products are known to have compounds with great therapeutic and technological potential. Indeed, the marine fauna and flora can be great resources of valuable compounds.

The TWIN2PIPSA researcher Romana Santos, PhD, was in 2023 European Researcher's Night with Inês Ventura (PhD student), Érica Mocho e Pedro Costa (undergrad students) to show exactly this. They showcased several products that were inspired on marine organisms, and they also demonstrated that leaning how biomimicry and biotechnology can work together to promote the development of innovative solutions for current problems.

FHerreraLab_NEI2023_Twin2pipsa

Source:  Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI)

The Dynamic Universe of Human Cell

Each cell can be perceived as a tiny universe, which means that there is still a lot that we do not known. However, researchers have to explore all biological and chemical events that occur within cell to really understand how cells work and how we can treat them when they are diseased. Understanding how nature works helps us to change it, but also to protect it. Therefore, researchers often use cultured cells to perform these studies, which helps minimize the use of animals for research purposes, thereby promoting the respect for living organisms.

The TWIN2PIPSA researcher Federico Herrera, PhD, along with Fernanda Murtinheira (PhD student), showed videos and images of real healthy and diseased cells (of Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease) that were collected by young researchers from his lab, and explained what happens inside these cells. .  

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Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa
FCiências.ID - Associação para a Investigação e Desenvolvimento de Ciências
Campo Grande 1749-016 Lisboa Portugal

Funded by the EU (TWIN2PIPSA, GA 101079147). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the EU or European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the EU nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

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