ITQB NOVA’s director shares with Oeiras Valley the institute’s position on the national and international scientific scenes, its goals for the future and the contribution of the Municipality of Oeiras to scientific and technological development in Portugal.
What is your assessment of the projects and activities developed by ITQB NOVA?
ITQB NOVA began its activity almost 40 years ago with an innovative organizational model on the national scene. In the beginning, the Institute operated as an open institution, welcoming researchers and teachers from several universities, which made it possible to build a very original, open and participatory environment. Years later, ITQB was integrated into NOVA University of Lisbon. Today we are an organic unit of NOVA, fully aligned with the university’s objectives and mission.
Starting with teaching, our activity is entirely focused on advanced training – master’s degrees and doctoral degrees – with a greater emphasis on the latter, in partnership with other organic units in NOVA and other institutions in the Lisbon metropolitan area. It’s a different kind of teaching from what is usually provided, because our students are immersed from the outset in an environment of research, of pursuit and development of knowledge. This link between research and training creates a very challenging working and learning environment.
In terms of research, our cornerstones are the knowledge on fundamental processes and mechanisms of Chemistry and Biological Sciences and their translation into the creation of value and social well-being. We identify problems that are socially relevant, but our starting point is the fundamental knowledge on the processes and mechanisms related to them. Later on, this knowledge allows us to develop innovation and value-creating mechanisms that can be translated into real applications.
The third axis in which we focus our activity is our relationship with the community. We are inserted in a municipality (Oeiras) that has a very proactive attitude towards sharing and disseminating knowledge among its residents and we largely embody this spirit, maintaining a very strong relationship with the community. We are concerned with sharing and engaging with society in our activity through a wide range of programs: Citizen Science (Ciência Cidadã), Scientists go to School (Cientistas vão à Escola), 90 Seconds of Science (90 Segundos de Ciência), among others; and also through the development of partnerships with companies, looking to create value and social well-being. This is our matrix. Overall, I would say our assessment is absolutely exceptional and almost unique, through a very unusual path in the Portuguese academic environment ever since the creation of ITQB NOVA.
What position does ITQB NOVA occupy on the national and international scientific research scene?
In national terms, we are an institution of reference. It’s a position we’ve earned over time, but we are clearly an institution of reference in the country.
ITQB NOVA coordinates two research units, Mostmicro and Green-It, participates in a third one, iNOVA4Health – all rated excellent – and coordinates an associated laboratory, LS4Future, in partnership with other institutions. When I say “rated excellent”, I’m referring to the assessment that is regularly carried out by the Foundation for Science and Technology, using panels of international experts. There is therefore international recognition which stems from the activity of a wide range of ITQB NOVA research groups with a great reputation and international recognition.
At an institutional level, I think Portugal lacks the ambition to scale up and consolidate strong institutions. In our country, I think we are always a little bit affected by it. In other words, we always have centers and hotspots of excellence, but we lack the capacity to develop institutions and environments that I would label research hubs, which could allow us to have a significant international position. I think, in this aspect, the country has been lacking in ambition. The Lisbon metropolitan area has exceptional conditions to position itself that way, but there is work to be done, and it is work that is worth doing.
By the way, I’d like to mention that the campus we’re on is going to undergo profound changes. In addition to the institutions that are already here – ITQB NOVA, IBET and INIAV – NIMSB (NOVA Institute for Medical Systems Biology) and Universidade Católica Portuguesa will be coming to the campus. We’re talking precisely about a commitment that goes in the direction I mentioned: working towards building an international dimension. We’re going to have a renewed scientific campus in Oeiras, accompanied by great ambition and expectation.
What are the institution’s goals for the future?
ITQB NOVA looks at itself in three different but complementary scales: a regional scale, a national scale and an international scale.
On a regional scale, I think it’s very important to reinforce the way ITQB NOVA and the Municipality of Oeiras have been working together and the impact we’ve had on the local community. Having a strong place and regional relevance is in no way an obstacle to our international projection.
Nationally, we have had a series of scientific activities at ITQB NOVA that position us at the forefront of the areas we work in. Not only thanks to the quality of the research groups we have and the advanced training we have developed, but also due to the quality of our infrastructures – infrastructures which are, in many cases, unique in our country, and that are made available to the scientific community and the companies.
Finally, on an international scale, ITQB NOVA has been a high-profile institution. We coordinate a wide range of projects involving international consortia. This year alone we have six new major international projects coordinated by ITQB NOVA. We also carry out a number of activities which are relevant both nationally and internationally from a scientific point of view.
For example, the European project EvaMobs, which we coordinate, aims to develop an innovative platform to rapidly develop antiviral biopharmaceuticals adaptable to different viruses, integrating advanced protein design methods, using artificial intelligence, with robust experimental analysis, culminating in validation through clinical trials.
ITQB NOVA has also been deeply active in the study of bacteria, seeking to understand how they work, how they split and how they organize themselves. This is important both for understanding the role of bacteria in the normal functioning of our bodies and for understanding how they act in situations of disease. One of the main points of interest focuses on understanding how to control bacterial infections in a scenario of increasing resistance to antibiotics, an extremely relevant problem in terms of public health.
As we work in the field of molecular biosciences in a broad sense, our research projects are not limited to healthcare, but they also cover critical areas related to sustainability, the environment and food production. For example, we have projects that stem from fundamental knowledge, such as research into the tolerance of different varieties of rice to drought conditions or extreme temperatures, in an effort to understand the molecular mechanisms that regulate this process. Faced with the phenomenon of climate change, we believe that two complementary approaches are needed. The first consists of minimizing the changes, targeting our efforts at limiting the emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The second involves adapting ourselves, particularly in food production, by trying to understand the underlying mechanisms so that we can figure out how to intervene in the most effective way.
These are some of the areas which we are involved in. At an international level, all these projects have a significant dimension and substantial impact. The science conducted here transcends the country’s borders, it has global projection. This is how we position ourselves in the international scientific scene.
How do you think the Municipality of Oeiras has contributed to scientific and technological
development in Portugal?
The Municipality of Oeiras has played a fundamental role in the region and has developed a partnership model with educational and research institutions that can serve as an inspiration to other municipalities. Our collaboration covers a wide range of activities, such as the promotion of science clubs, citizen science projects and ITQB’s participation in the General Schools’ Council. This involvement is not artificial, but very close, especially with the municipality’s schools. The relationship with the residents, the schools and every citizen, is extremely important to us.
In addition, Oeiras has invested in activities of innovation, including the InnOValley awards, which recognize innovation and proof of concept projects that have the potential to become products with real benefits for the citizens. We are also working together in terms of internationalization, trying to bring more events, scientific conferences and researchers to the municipality.
As I said before, and I want to emphasize it, the Municipality of Oeiras has been exceptional in this process and could serve as a model for other municipalities. This relationship has been vital in mitigating what I consider to be the underfunding of science in our country. Although it is a common criticism, it is a fact that insufficient funding for science creates challenges which are truly difficult to overcome.
What other domain would you like to see Oeiras invest in?
When we think about our institutions, we realize that the most important thing are the people in it: our researchers and our staff. Possessing talent and creativity, as well as being deeply committed to the institution, are essential traits these people need to have. However, for an institution to grow and be strong it is essential that it has the right operating mechanisms in place to encourage everyone’s involvement.
The ability to retain talented people is closely linked to funding, and this is a difficulty we have been experiencing. Although the support from the Municipality of Oeiras is significant, it is not enough to overcome all the difficulties we face. It is crucial the municipality continues to invest in the areas in which it already collaborates with us. Maintaining the activities we have is vital, but I would like to highlight two types of support that I consider essential.
Firstly, the municipality needs to invest in infrastructure to house scientists, especially young researchers. The lack of accommodation conditions becomes a barrier to attracting new talent. I know that the municipality has been making efforts in this regard, but it would be beneficial to strengthen them further.
Another area of interest is the acquisition of unique equipment, essential for conducting research at the frontier of knowledge. A partnership with the municipality in this matter would be very important. Creating infrastructures of excellence is a challenge, but together with the municipality we could identify key areas to invest in major equipment and infrastructures, strengthening our position both nationally and internationally.
Just like it has been so far, this is a job that should be done together with the City Council, in order to identify investment opportunities.
