Overview
The development of new drugs to treat increasingly prevalent neurological and psychiatric conditions is an emerging field of research.
This course was designed to update the knowledge of Students and Researchers in light of scientific advances in the field of Neurosciences, focusing on the discovery of new disease mechanisms and therapeutic targets, the development of innovative medicines, and their use in current clinical trials. The course also aims to stimulate entrepreneurship in the development of new drugs in the area of Neurosciences, promoting collaboration between academia, research institutes, the pharmaceutical industry, and patient associations, in order to create patient-centred therapies.
Coordination:
Adelaide Maria Afonso Fernandes Borralho, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon,
Sandra Henrique Vaz from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon.
Participating Institutions: Speakers from iMed.ULisboa/FFUL and IMM/FMUL, as well as from other institutes, the pharmaceutical industry, and patient associations, who are experts in the various topics, will be invited to participate throughout the course.
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Legislation:
Programme
The course will take place from September 1 to September 12, 2025, between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM (GMT), and will be held entirely in person at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon.
The course includes a total of 32.5 training hours, which correspond to 6 ECTS credits.
The training hours are distributed as follows:
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Theoretical sessions: 12.5 hours
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Practical sessions: 10 hours
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Independent work: 2 weeks
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Tutorial guidance: 10 hours
Students will attend theoretical and practical sessions during the first week (September 1–5), participate in project discussions and present their own projects with tutorial support during the second week (September 8–12), and submit the final written version of their project on September 12.
Course Location: FFUL and FMUL.
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COURSE PROGRAM
Teaching Methodologies
Teaching Methodology:
Seminars and workshops led by experts in the field. Learning will be based on methodologies such as Kanban, Problem-Based Learning, and the Impact-to-Research Canvas.
Learning Outcomes and Skills to be Acquired by the Student:
Participants are expected to acquire skills that will enable them to: i) identify new neuropathological mechanisms; ii) understand the development of innovative drugs targeting the Central Nervous System, including their origin, the most appropriate models to test their efficacy, and how they can be tailored for specific actions; iii) develop critical thinking in the context of preclinical and clinical research for the development of new pharmacological approaches. Participants are also expected to strengthen their entrepreneurial mindset in scientific research and recognize the importance of collaboration between Academia, Research Centres, the Pharmaceutical Industry, and Patient Associations in the development of new personalized therapies.
Assessment Methodology:
Assessment will be based on participation and discussion during seminars and workshops, as well as engagement in the Problem-Based Learning case debate (30%), and the preparation/presentation of a scientific project using the Impact-to-Research Canvas model (70%). The project should outline the design of a new therapeutic strategy to address an unmet need in a specific neurological disorder, using a multidisciplinary and advanced approach with scientific and social impact. Participants will be required to complete a pre-designed one-page Impact-to-Research Canvas, present it in a pitch format, and, following the discussion, submit a two-page report with the final project description.
Application
Application Period:May 20, 2025 to August 22, 2025
Course start and end dates: September 1, 2025 to September 12, 2025
Admission Requirements:
Academic background in fields relevant to Neurosciences, such as Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedicine, among others.
Requirements and Prerequisites:
Academic training in areas relevant to Neurosciences, such as Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedicine, among others.
Selection and seriation criteria:
Applications will be considered in order of submission, with priority given to students enrolled in 3rd cycle (PhD) programmes.
- Minimum number of trainees for operation: 8
- Maximum number of trainees for operation: 32
Required Documents for Application: Academic Certificate, Curriculum Vitae (CV), and Proof of Enrolment in the current degree programme.
Application Fees and Tuition:
- Application fee: 10€ (Note: the application fee will not be refunded if the candidate is excluded or not selected).
- Course Tuition: €400 (a reduced fee of €250 applies to students)
- School Insurance Fee: 2,10€
Note: FFUL PhD students who wish to take the course as part of their mandatory 1st-year curriculum are exempt from the registration fee.
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Application Process:
Applications for the course are made exclusively through the FenixEdu Platform of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Lisbon (FFUL).
Access to the FenixEdu Platform:
- If you have never been a student at FFUL you must pre-register on the FenixEdu Platform.
- If you are a former student of FFULisboa and have already had an account campus@ulisboa or @edu.ulisboa.pt you should access the FenixEdu Platform and authenticate yourself with your account data. If you have lost access to your account, you can recover your password in the ULisboa users area.
- If you are a former student of FFULisboa and have never had an account campus@ulisboa or @edu.ulisboa.pt you must send an email to cncg@ff.ulisboa.pt indicating your full name and ID document number.
Access the FenixEdu Platform.
- On the tab “Candidate”, choose the type of application: “Advanced Training Courses”, select the desired course.
- Fill out the online form and attach all the required documents in digital format. In the application process you can indicate whether you want the invoice to be issued in the name of another entity/company/institution.
- Select the “Submit” option.
Applications will only be validated by the Academic Services once the applicant has paid the Application Fee.
Contacts
For information regarding the application process and the course organization, please contact the Academic Services: doutoramentos@ff.ulisboa.pt
Sponsors
