Science Takes to the Streets on European Researchers' Night in Porto
Solving an environmental crime in the ocean, participating in escape rooms, transforming waste into innovative fabrics, hunting for microplastics hidden in nature, and learning about biomaterials capable of helping to regenerate the brain are just some of the activities offered during the European Researchers’ Night (ERN) at the Institute for Health Research and Innovation (i3S) at the University of Porto.
The European Researchers’ Night returns to Porto on September 25 for an evening when science leaves the laboratories to reach the public. Participants will also be able to discover how a piece of clothing can produce and store energy or how sand can contribute to the energy transition.
The i3S will once again serve as the venue for this “science festival.” To accommodate more scientists, more activities, and more visitors, a tent will be set up outside the institute this year. There will be more than 50 interactive and dynamic activities, such as games, demonstrations, tours, and discussions. Between 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., more than 200 researchers will be on hand to discuss discoveries and innovations aimed at addressing the major challenges of our time.
This year’s edition is supported by the University of Porto, in partnership with the Porto City Council, the Maia City Council, the FC Porto Museum, and the Smart Specialization Platform in Life Sciences and Health (Bridges4Health), and features the participation of dozens of institutions in the region: Center for Research on Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (CIBIO), Interdisciplinary Center for Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto (FCUP), Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP), Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), Institute of Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology, and Science (INESC TEC), Dr. Ricardo Jorge National Institute of Health (INSA), Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry (LAQV-REQUIMTE), University of Porto Museum of Natural History and Science (MHNC-UP), University of Porto Science and Technology Park (UPTEC), and Portuguese Catholic University (UCP).
Check all the latest news on the European Researchers' Night website.
Program
Activities with limited availability
(registration required)
Women in Science: Visibility, Representation, and Action
INESC TEC
At the current rate, and according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2024, it will take 134 years to achieve full gender parity.
In science, globally, less than 30% of researchers are women (UNESCO data). Women make up 60% of students in higher education, and 53% of doctoral degrees awarded in Portugal go to women.
At INESC TEC, communication plays a strategic role: making science accessible and representative. That is precisely what we propose for this hands-on session:
- Examining the statistics on women in science through various group activities
- Science has a face, and that face is diverse—a brainstorming session to explore new ways to raise the visibility of underrepresented groups
- Success stories: a day in the life of Portugal’s first female scientist-astronaut—Ana Pires shows how it’s possible to inspire girls and women to pursue robotics.
micro:bit Agents: The Secret Messages Mission
JUNICODERS
How can two devices communicate without being connected by wires? In this activity, children program pairs of micro:bits to send and receive messages via radio.
Teams create a secret code, send clues, and try to complete a science mission. During the challenge, they discover how information can be represented, transmitted, and protected. They also experiment with different distances and obstacles to understand how these factors can affect communication.
The activity introduces, in a fun way, concepts such as wireless networks, radio waves, coding, cryptography, and communications security.
EMPHATIC: How science is learning more about dolphins and whales without disturbing them
Project EMPHATIC | Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental (CIIMAR)
This activity aims to demonstrate the applicability of various non-invasive methodologies for the study of cetaceans (dolphins and whales). Following a brief introduction to the topic, participants will have the opportunity, through a series of interactive games, to learn how we can use environmental DNA (eDNA) to determine the presence of species; photogrammetry, hormone levels, and the composition of the blow’s microbiome to assess the animals’ health; and, finally, to learn about the main objectives of the EMPHATIC project.
iGraft Mission: Help Us Save Mr. António
i3S - Institute for Health Research and Innovation
Your body can generate energy... Did you know that?
What if we told you that your blood can power medical devices? It sounds like science fiction, but it’s reality! In this activity, you’ll discover how innovative biomaterials can transform blood flow into electricity: a sustainable energy source capable of powering cardiac devices, such as vascular prostheses.
Come try our interactive challenge and test your knowledge of cardiovascular health and medical technology with an electrifying quiz!
Join us and discover how your body can be the energy of the future!
To investigate genes associated with diseases
Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge
An interactive activity designed to help participants explore some online databases used to study genes associated with human diseases.
In this activity, we will learn how to search for genes associated with diseases and the biological processes in the human body related to them. We will also learn how to download files containing various biological information about the genes we analyze. We will identify genetic variants in these genes and determine whether these variants are potential causes of disease.
We will also research information about a receptor found in the brain! We’ll identify some genes responsible for encoding the protein subunits that make up the receptor and determine their functions. We’ll research various details about the genes, such as their location on the chromosome, and analyze some of the existing variants. Using the information we gather, we’ll discuss why these genes might be linked to diseases.
Come discover the fascinating world of genes with us. Join us!
Your Brain in Colors and Shapes
Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge
An interactive activity designed to help participants explore how the human brain works and the different regions into which it is divided. After a presentation on the locations and functions of the different cerebral lobes, participants will apply what they’ve learned in a fun, educational activity. Each participant will play with a balloon—which we’ll use to simulate a small skull—and will match different activities that people perform in their daily lives to the brain regions responsible for those functions. By cutting out and pasting images illustrating the different functions performed by the brain, you’ll decorate your balloon by placing the images on the corresponding brain regions. At the end of the activity, you’ll be able to take home the balloon you decorated yourself!
Come discover more about your brain with us. Join us!
Populations: Population Dynamics at Play
i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde
Do you like board games? What if a room with 20 players were to compete simultaneously to see who ends up with the most diverse population? Join us on this adventure and have fun! This activity is based on a board game created by i3S that simulates the different mechanisms involved in the evolution of populations, with constant changes, increases, and decreases in their genetic diversity, where extinction is a possibility. A playful and entertaining way to experience the dynamics of human populations throughout history, through a game developed as part of the project “Human Diversity in the Region of Magellan’s Circumnavigation: Genetics, History, and Culture.”
Ongoing Activities
The Bioengineering of Miniaturized Tissues
i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde
Discovering Antioxidants
REQUIMTE
Discovering Glycans in Cancer
i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde
Oh, my back hurts!
i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde
Algae: A Scientific Journey Through the World of Algae at the MHNC-UP
Museu de História Natural e da Ciência da U.Porto
Animals in Biomedical Research: Fewer and Better!
i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde e 3Rs Knowledge Center (3RKC)
Biofilms: Building a Microbial Fortress
Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto
How Does Our Immune System Perceive Biomaterials?
i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde
Understanding, Repairing, and Regenerating the Heart After a Myocardial Infarction
i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde
From Biomass to Biomedicine: Biotechnology That Transforms Healthcare
Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia
From Imaging to Diagnosis: How AI Supports Medicine
INESC TEC
The Circular Economy Challenge and Strategic Minerals
CERENA, Faculdade de Engenharia Universidade do Porto
Discover the Hidden Treasures in Waste
LAQV-REQUIMTE
Water Detectives: Discovering Invisible Life
Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar
Seed Detectives: Who Am I and How Do I Grow?
REQUIMTE - Faculdade de Ciências / Universidade Do Porto
Microplastics Detectives
FEUP - Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto
Energy That You Wear: Smart Textiles in Action
LAQV-REQUIMTE e Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto
Tissue Engineering as Non-Animal Methods (NAMs): Cellular Platforms for Testing Therapies and Reducing Reliance on Animal Testing
i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde
The Brain Highway
i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde
Blue Formula for a Winning Science
Museu FC Porto
Gels in Shape
i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde
Guardians of the Brain
i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde
Inclusion, Citizen Participation, and Literacy in Cancer Prevention
SHINE 2Europe
Infections Transmitted by Arthropod Vectors
i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde
Investigating Genes Associated with Diseases
Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge
Pocket Lab – Is the Water Safe?
Universidade Católica Portuguesa - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina
Genetic Literacy: Informing Without Sensationalizing
i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde
Trash or Treasure? The Superpower of Waste
Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto
Maia Does Science with Young Researchers
Câmara Municipal da Maia
May the Light Be with You: GOcap® in the Fight Against Catheter-Related Infections!
i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde
Microorganisms in Water and Soil Protection
Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina – Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia
Analyst Mission: Find out how scientists identify substances!
FCUP-DQB (Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto - Departamento de Química e Bioquímica)
Microbes Mission: Investigate, Discover, and Experiment
Universidade Católica Portuguesa – CBQF
Far Beyond the Flames – Adapting to Climate Change and Major Wildfires
REQUIMTE/LAQV - ISEP
Blood: The Highway of Oxygen
i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde
(Bio)materials and Nanotechnology in the Service of Health
i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde
The Human Body Repair Workshop
Universidade Católica Portuguesa
The Invisible Heroes of Food
Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto
The Role of Sugars in Inflammatory Diseases
i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde
Small Fish, Big Discoveries—Endocrine Disruptors, the Invisible Enemies of Our Health
i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde
Flavors and Sensations: Discovering the World of Plant-Based Foods
REQUIMTE-LAQV
The Gene Switch / What Turns Your Genes On?
UMIB - ICBAS - UPorto
bioMARatona - How to Contribute to the Mapping of Portuguese Marine Biodiversity
CIBIO/BIOPOLIS
Scientific Flight: The Drosophila Adventure
Programa Educativo do i3S
