Young researchers from i3S win PhD scholarships from “la Caixa”
Two young researchers from the i3S, Bárbara Ferreira and Inês Claro, recently won an INPhINIT Retaining PhD scholarship from the “la Caixa” Foundation, with a nominal value of almost 40 thousand euros per year plus the tuition fees for a doctoral program of their choice.
Bárbara Ferreira’s PhD project (still in the application process for the Doctoral Program of the Lisbon Academic Medical Center - PHDCAML) focuses on the study of the tumor microenvironment of low-grade pediatric gliomas. These tumors, she explains, “make up 30 to 40 percent of all central nervous system tumors in children and, despite being considered ‘low-grade’, their location in the brain, often in vital areas, prevents their complete surgical removal. This limitation means that these tumors require multiple lines of treatment, associated with serious side effects and sequelae, with a major impact on the quality of life of these children and their families”.
Bárbara Ferreira's main objective is to “study how the microenvironment of these tumors influences the response to treatment and to explore new therapeutic approaches associated with lower morbidity in children”. This work will be supervised by researchers Jorge Lima (i3S and Ipatimup), Cláudia Faria (GIMM and Hospital de Santa Maria) and Cynthia Hawkins (Hospital for SickKids, University of Toronto) and arises from a collaboration between these three institutions.
“This grant is a milestone in my still short career as a researcher,” stresses Bárbara Ferreira. “It is a recognition of the dedication and commitment I have put into my work and a launching pad for me to continue working in Science, in my country, on a subject that fascinates me. Being a La Caixa grant holder is synonymous with a unique opportunity for multidisciplinary training, and access to the necessary tools to grow as a researcher,” she adds.
The researcher also made a point of thanking several researchers from i3S: “I would not have won this scholarship without the tireless support of my supervisor, Jorge Lima, who has been with me since day one and has played a fundamental role in all my achievements. I would like to extend my gratitude to my research group - Cancer Signaling and Metabolism - and to i3S for all their help during the selection process, particularly to Paula Perez, from the Career Development Unit, for her support in the interview preparation phase and to all the group leaders (Paula Soares, Helena Azevedo, José Bessa, Margarida Saraiva and Salomé Pinho) who contributed to this preparation”.
Studying mRNA signatures in tumors associated with tobacco smoking
Enrolled in the PhD program in Biochemistry at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, under the supervision of researchers Alexandra Moreira (i3S and ICBAS), Isabel Pereira Castro (i3S) and Margarida Gama Carvalho (FCUL), Inês Claro will “study the mRNA signatures in tumors associated with tobacco smoke, specifically lung, bladder and head and neck cancers. These mRNAs are expressed at different levels in tumors and in healthy tissues, and the main objective is to understand what their role is in these cancers and the impact they have on the functioning of our cells”.
For Inês Claro, winning this scholarship, “was the proudest moment in my professional career. I knew it would be very difficult and I applied almost without hope, but with the help of my supervisors and also other members of i3S, I think I managed to do my best and be recognized for it”.
The researcher would also like to thank researchers Alexandra Moreira, leader of the “Gene Regulation” group, and Isabel Pereira-Castro: “They have been following my growth as a scientist and have helped me a lot in all aspects of my short career. Without them I would not have won this scholarship”.
Regarding the scholarship awarded by the “la Caixa” Foundation, Inês Claro doesn’t hide her enthusiasm: “Considering the current panorama of science in Portugal, it is great to have the opportunity to benefit from a scholarship funded by an entity that still believes in scientists and their merit and, more importantly, an entity that values Science and those who work in it”.
About the INPhINIT Retaining scholarships
The INPhINIT Retaining program is highly competitive, with only 30 scholarships available for early-career researchers of any nationality who wish to undertake a doctoral program in any scientific area in Spain or Portugal. In the 2024 edition, 798 applications were submitted. The success rate was 4.38 percent, with Portugal winning three scholarships.
The financial allocation is intended to cover the costs of the fellow in accordance with the following breakdown: Labour costs of 35,800 euros per year that the host institution will spend on hiring the fellow in accordance with the labour legislation in force in Spain or Portugal; research costs of 3,500 euros per year for expenses directly related to the development of the project, including conference registrations, courses, accommodation, consumables, equipment, intellectual property costs, among others; and tuition fees for the doctoral programme to which the fellow will be admitted.