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Bárbara Pinto Correia
“My enthusiasm for knowledge and the human biology led me to pursue a career in science. I started my studies in human biology and found my research field of passion in neurosciences. When it was time to choose my PhD I knew I wanted to keep researching in neurosciences in a top institute. LisbonBioMed allowed me to increase my knowledge in several fields for two months while I could get to know labs of my interest before committing to a final choice. I am glad I can keep pursuing my academic career in iMM, it is a top European institute with great researchers and great working environment.”

Carlos Ramos
“When I graduated as a Pharmacist, from the University of Coimbra, I knew I wanted to contribute to the philosophy “From the bench to the bedside”. This led me to the Research&Devolpment department of the Tecnimede Group. However, I soon realized most current treatments are merely symptomatic, and we know very little about the pathological mechanisms of most diseases. Therefore, it was time to embrace academic research and I saw in the LisbonBiomed PhD program an excellent opportunity to do so. During the first 8 weeks my colleagues and I were exposed to all the research areas of iMM, but we were also stimulated to get out of our comfort zone through an essay, debates and projects’ design. This created in us a sceptic attitude towards Science and life in general, which unravelled this passion to ask questions and to generate novel hypothesis to answer them. Besides the scientifically vibrant atmosphere present at iMM, makes it the ideal place to do my PhD. I couldn’t be happier with my decision to apply to this PhD program!”

Catarina Tomé
“After being forced to give up from my non-talented artistic vein and pursue the scientific academic pathway, I became increasingly fascinated to understand how life works. Both biological and psychological components of life have always been areas of high interest. However, considering it more challenging, I decided to study Biochemistry at the University of Coimbra (Portugal), where I obtained my Bachelor and Master degree. During my academic pathway, initially marked by a huge interest in neurosciences, I became aware of my incapacity to deal with animal experimentation. Therefore, in my master thesis, I went to a group where I could directly study humans and thus I discovered that better than perceiving how life works was to realize how it is kept. Thereby, my passion for immunology emerged. Then, once it reflected what I was looking for, I applied to the LisbonBioMed PhD program at iMM where I had the privilege to be accepted and I am very glad to belong to. Currently, I am developing my PhD project in the JE Fonseca Lab in clinical immunology field in order to decipher the interplay between T follicular cells and B cells in early arthritis. At iMM I have found an excellent scientific environment full of amazing successful scientists with different backgrounds and so, my experience has been very challenging and enriching.”

Cláudia Afonso
“I decided to pursue a PhD because I am interested in the process of acquiring and later applying scientific knowledge to solve a specific problem. Being involved in research at a doctoral level also gives me an opportunity to exchange ideas and collaborate with other people, which is important for me to keep moving forward in my training. During my education, I have learned techniques from both chemistry and biology and I consider iMM to represent an ideal place to undertake a PhD precisely due to the integration of many research groups within the same institution, each one contributing with different technical expertise in the wider field of biomedical science.”

Filipa Ribeiro
“My interest about science during high school prompted me to graduate in Biochemistry at the University of Coimbra. During this time, the passion about research in biomedical sciences continuously grew and, with the aim of establishing a career in research, I attended a MSc in Biomedical and Molecular Sciences Research in King’s College London. After this enriching experience, I became absolutely certain that I wanted to pursue a research career in biomedical sciences, where I could make meaningful contributions to human health. However, although it was a great experience in London, I wanted to come back to Portugal and undoubtedly iMM was the best place to enrol in a PhD programme. iMM not only provides an excellent training in biomedical research, but also encourages the interplay between basic and clinical science which is aligned with my career prospects.”

Inês Faleiro
“I did not know that I wanted to be a scientist when I grow up but watching my mom and aunt doing science experiments aroused my curiosity about this exciting field. Driven by the wish to pursue a scientific career I decided to take a bachelor’s degree in molecular and Cellular Biology from the NOVA University of Lisbon and later a master’s degree in Biopharmaceutical Sciences from the Faculty of Pharmacy of Lisbon University. The idea of learning something new every day and contribute to knowledge creation could not be more thrilling and stimulating for me. The decision to pursue a PhD came as a natural next step to continue the search for answers to the biological questions that intrigue me the most. The dynamic and highly productive research environment characteristic of the iMM was enough to convinced me that it is the ideal place to achieve my goals.”

Joana Ribeiro
“After completing my Master’s in Cell and Molecular Biology at University of Porto, I became aware of how limited my scientific knowledge still was. I also realized I truly liked neurosciences. So, feeling the urge to continue learning about the brain, but keeping in mind the possibility of exploring other fields in biomedical research, I decided to embark on the PhD adventure. When trying to decide which programs to apply for, the LisbonBioMed PhD program appeared at the perfect timing. The program appealed to my attention due to its multidisciplinary and flexible nature, promoting student contact with a multitude of renowned scientists from inside and outside of iMM and allowing students to define their career path in accordance with their scientific interests. And so far, it has lived up to the expectations. I’ve had the opportunity to listen and talk to brilliant minds in a variety of biological and clinical fields, I reinforced my interest in neurosciences and was fortunate enough to design my own PhD project, under clever guidance from my supervisors. I’ve also encountered some fantastic colleagues and friends with whom I share work, ideas, interests, delusions, failures, and good-quality free time. Being a PhD student is an arduous journey, but if you are put in the right environment and surround yourself with intelligent, supportive, hard-working, and humble minds, you can most definitely achieve your career and personal goals.”

Joana Saraiva
“What truly motivates me is to ask new questions and contribute to exciting findings in biomedicine. That is why I did my BSc in Biochemistry and then the MSc degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology, at the University of Coimbra and CNC, where I have received strong research-oriented training. During my master’s thesis, I became extremely interested in gene therapy, a field that I continued to pursue afterwards, by working as a research assistant at the Oxford University. Altogether, these experiences gave me the reassurance that the next challenge I wanted to address was to complete a PhD in biomedical research, particularly focused in neurosciences. I realized that the LisbonBiomed would be the ideal PhD program for me, considering its flexible curricular structure and the stimulating work environment at iMM. So far, this has been an excellent experience. During the first months of the program I got to know several iMM investigators from a wide range of research areas, thus expanding my scientific knowledge and curiosity. Finally, by the end of this module, I joined the group where I am currently developing my PhD work and was given the freedom to design a research project that really motivates me. Therefore, I am glad to have joined the LisbonBiomed program and to be now part of the iMM inspiring scientific community.”

Marta Fernandes
“Throughout my years of study, I have become fascinated by biomedicine research as I learned more about the intriguing biological mechanisms responsible for orchestrating life homeostasis or instability. My academic path began with a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry followed by a master thesis on metabolism and neurogenesis, which culminated in a master’s degree in Molecular Genetics and Biomedicine. To unravel the molecular network behind the discovery of new targets for more efficient therapeutic approaches truly stimulates my mind and kept me striving for a career in Science in connection to translational research. So, the opportunity to unite my interests and a cutting-edge research in an institute of top quality made me step forward to apply for this PhD program. The LisbonBioMed PhD program embraces us with versatility, new challenges and freedom to choose our own scientific path. I am really happy to work on the subjects that ignite my curiosity the most, surrounded by a lot of amazing people and confident that I will get the tools that I need to be a Scientist.”

Pedro Ribeiro
“As a medical student at Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa I soon acquainted myself with iMM and my interest in biomedical research grew, leading me to choose a rheumatology residency at Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte. I find rheumatology a thrilling field, where diseases with a complex, not completely understood pathophysiology and a systemic burden bring basic and clinical research into the forefront of clinical activity. Further, new drugs and new data coming from clinical research are changing much of patient care even in a short time span. Being already involved in clinical and translational research at JEFonseca lab, I found the LisbonBioMed program a unique opportunity to devote full-time to research and pursue a PhD project. I particular, I appreciated the interactive, broad-range initial module on critical thinking, where we also met the work of most groups at iMM. As a result, opportunities to collaborate with other labs emerged and I hope this will lead to innovative projects, making the most of the resources available at the Lisbon Academic Medical Center. At iMM I also found a very supportive group of colleagues, bound by a common goal of developing science but similarly committed to enjoy and making enjoyable your life at iMM.”