The quality of the applications submitted to the 3 competitions launched by the GAPIC demonstrates that these initiatives constitute an effective way of promoting and disseminating scientific activity among CAML students and young doctors, contributing decisively to raising the quality of teaching and research offered at FMUL.

The Education through Science Programme | CHLN/FMUL scholarships have allowed undergraduate students to participate in the design and implementation of laboratory and/or clinical research projects. In the 23rd edition, 28 research projets were submitted and accepted for execution.

To the GAPIC David-Ferreira Prize, which distinguishes the best Final Works/Theses of the Integrated Master Degree in Medicine 2018/2019, 15 applications were received, and the following were distinguished:

• Prize – "Identification of novel potential therapeutic targets for T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia", Catarina Micaelo Fernandes;
• - 1st Honourable Mention – "Prognostic Role of Mean Platelet Volume in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients”, Alexandre Manuel Calçada;
• - 2nd Honourable Mention – “Influenza vaccination reduces all-cause mortality in patients with heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies”, Bárbara Rodrigues.

Within the scope of the Research Grants for Newly Graduated Doctors, in addition to the AstraZeneca Foundation/FMUL Research Grant, this year the João Lobo Antunes Scholarship for Research Project Support, funded by the Institute of Molecular Medicine, has been awarded, both with the purpose of promoting research among recent medical graduates

Four applications were submitted to this competition and the following research projects were selected:

• 16th AstraZeneca Foundation/FMUL Research Grant – "Uncovering novel response-predictive biomarkers through patient-derived ovarian cancer organoids", by Catarina Alves do Vale, to be conducted at the Maria do Carmo Fonseca Laboratory/iMM and at the Pathological Anatomy Service of CUF Descobertas Hospital.
•  1st João Lobo Antunes Scholarship for Research Project Support - “Characterization of fibrinogen-erythrocyte binding in arterial vascular disease and its relevance for the early detection of vascular thrombotic events (ThromboVascFibEry)”, by Ryan Eduardo Costeloe de Gouveia e Melo, to be conducted at the Nuno C. Santos Laboratory, iMM and at the HSM/CHULN Vascular Surgery Service, under the supervision of Professor Nuno Correia Santos.