The 2025 National Meeting of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Health of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (CIIS-UCP) brought together, on 11 and 12 December, researchers and institutional partners to reflect on the role of science and health research in addressing contemporary social challenges.
The opening session featured welcome remarks by Paulo Alves, Deputy Director of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing, followed by an institutional presentation by Nuno Rosa, Director of CIIS, and an intervention by Peter Hanenberg, Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation, via videoconference.
This was followed by a roundtable discussion dedicated to the social impact of research, with representatives from Cáritas Diocesana do Porto, the Núcleo de Planeamento e Intervenção Sem-Abrigo de Lisboa, the Associação Portuguesa de Pais e Amigos da Pessoa com Deficiência Mental de Viseu, the Santa Casa da Misericórdia do Porto, and the Comunidade Intermunicipal Viseu Dão Lafões. The speakers highlighted the relevance of the research carried out at CIIS and the value of the partnerships established with Universidade Católica Portuguesa.
The programme also included scientific presentations by integrated CIIS researchers, representing the Centre’s various platforms — SalivaTec, Precision Dental Medicine, Translational Neuroscience, Nursing Research and CatólicaMed — showcasing the diversity, scientific relevance and interdisciplinary nature of the research developed.
Over the two days, CIIS researchers from the five organic units where they carry out their activities, located in Lisbon, Porto and Viseu, together with representatives from several social institutions, also took part in moments of sharing and discussion, namely poster sessions and collaborative workshops, supported by the Research and Innovation Office (RIO-UCP). These activities fostered dialogue and encouraged the development of future scientific and institutional collaborations.
The CIIS National Meeting 2025 concluded with an address by Marta Vasconcelos, member of the Executive Committee of the Porto Regional Centre, who highlighted the value of the work developed at CIIS and the importance of cooperation between researchers and partner institutions in building innovative responses to health-related challenges.
This work is funded by national funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., under project UID/04279/2025, with DOI identifier https://doi.org/10.54499/UID/04279/2025 – Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Saúde.