Diogo Reis Carneiro and Neuza Domingues are the two researchers from the University of Coimbra receiving the Maria de Sousa Award 2025, presented by the Portuguese Medical Association and the Bial Foundation. The award supports young Portuguese scientists up to 35 years old, providing funding for research projects in the field of Health Sciences, and a placement at an international centre of excellence.
Diogo Reis Carneiro, a neurologist and researcher at the Institute of Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health (ICNAS), the Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC-UC), and the Centre for Innovation in Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CiBB), as well as a PhD student and guest lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine (FMUC) of the University of Coimbra (UC), will lead the research project “CaInPark: Cardiovascular Interoception from Neuroanatomical Foundations to Disruption in Parkinson’s Disease.” The study focuses on cardiovascular interoception [the body’s ability to sense signals from the heart and blood vessels, such as heartbeat and blood pressure] in people with Parkinson’s disease.
“We want to better understand how healthy people perceive signals from their heart and blood vessels and investigate what changes occur in people with Parkinson’s, which is still not well known. This work could help develop future treatments that improve how patients feel and respond to their bodily sensations,” explains Diogo Reis Carneiro. The project will receive €25,000 in funding, and part of the research will take place at the Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria.
Neuza Domingues, researcher at the Multidisciplinary Institute of Ageing (MIA Portugal) and CiBB, will lead the project “Nuclear Lysosomes: Uncovering Communication Between Lysosomes and the Nucleus.” This research explores how lysosomes [cellular “recycling centres” that break down damaged molecules] communicate with the cell’s nucleus, identifying the proteins involved and how this affects cell function under stress or disease.
“While we know a lot about lysosomes talking to other organelles like mitochondria, we know very little about how they interact with the nucleus. Understanding this communication could reveal new ways to treat diseases related to ageing,” explains Neuza Domingues. Her project will receive €30,000, and part of the research will be conducted at the University of Oxford, UK.
The winners of the 5th edition of the Maria de Sousa Award will be announced this afternoon at 3:30 pm in Lisbon, with the ceremony streamed live on the Bial Foundation’s social media channels.
More information on the award is available at: www.fundacaobial.com/premios/premio-maria-de-sousa.