NOVEL CHALLENGES IN TOXICOLOGY

Advanced PhD courses aim to develop the knowledge acquired in the different PhD specialties. They are short courses, with a variable format, made up of curricular units or training modules specific to 3rd cycle study programs.

Toxicological concepts are of utmost importance for all steps involved in drug discovery & development. Moreover, the new challenges associated with Toxicology are determinant for many other aspects of the biomedical sciences. By the end of this course it is expected that the students integrate the acquired knowledge towards complex toxicological phenomena and understand the impact of Toxicology in our modern society.

This course is primarily aimed at FFUL PhD students, but it does welcome the participation of external members of the academic and scientific community.

Coordination:

Joana Paiva Gomes Miranda, Associate Professor with Aggregation  , Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon

Nuno Filipe da Rocha Guerreiro de Oliveira, Full Professor, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon

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Legislation:

Regulamento n.º 638/2016 – Regulamento dos Cursos Não Conferentes de Grau da Faculdade de Farmácia da ULisboa

This course will run from January 27, 2026 to February 20, 2026, and will take place in person on January 27-29 and February 20, between 09:30 and 17:30 (GMT time).

The course has a total of 24 training hours, and in-person training and 143 hours of independent study which are equivalent to a total of 6 ECTS.

The training hours are distributed as follows:

• Theoretical training hours: 16 hours
• Practical hours: 08 hours
• Tutorial hours: 01 hours

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COURSE PROGRAM

The course is divided into three major topics addressing a balanced combination of lectures on theoretical and practical case-based discussions presented during a dedicated course with limited attendance. The training programme has specific slots allocated to seminars and workshops, including informal discussions with lecturers (tutorial teaching). At the end of the course, the students will have an assessment exercise.

TEACHING METHODOLOGIES:

The course is structured around a series of seminars delivered by national and international experts from academia and industry. These seminars are designed to provide students with in-depth theoretical knowledge and current perspectives on modern toxicology. Active learning is encouraged through interactive discussions between students and lecturers during each session. Although the course does not include a laboratory-based practical component, students will work in small interdisciplinary groups to develop a research project proposal as their final assessment. This group work fosters critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and the practical application of concepts discussed throughout the course.

LEARNING AND THE SKILLS TO BE OBTAINED BY THE STUDENT:

It is expected that the students acquire knowledge about what are the adverse effects associated withthe exposure of toxic xenobiotics from different classes and modes of action (MoA) as well as the interindividual variations in biotransformation enzymes and membrane transporters, including the importance of genetic polymorphisms. Moreover, the application of emerging technologies (e.g. Omics, stem cells and advanced models) in the drug development process in the research and industry will be a key topic of the advanced course. Safety issues in novel medicines, including biologicals, will also be highlighted.
Finally, the students should also understand the role of predictive toxicology towards personalization.

EVALUATION METHODOLOGY:

Applies only to students officially enrolled in the PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Lisbon. It consists in the preparation and submission of a research project (up to 8 pages) in a topic relevant within the framework of the course. Students are to be grouped in interdisciplinary groups of 2 or 3 students. The research project should be structured to address an innovative research question as follows:

• Title;
• The problem and the innovative approach;
•  Plan and methodology;
• Expected results and impact;

The project will be evaluated according to the following criteria and weighting:

• Novelty and relevance (30%);
• Clarity and credibility of the approach to the theme/problem (30%);
• Multidisciplinary aspects of the research plan (40%);

Application period: from December 1st, 2025 to January 5th, 2026

Course start and end date: January 27, 2026 to February 20, 2026 ( in-person training on January 27-29 and February 20)

Admission requirements:

Master’s degree in health sciences.

Scientific areas or specialization:

Pharmaceutical Molecular Toxicology

Selection and ranking criteria:

For selection and ranking purposes, the date of application will be taken into account.

Minimum number of trainees: 08
Maximum number of trainees: 50

Fees and tuition:

Application fee: €10 (Note: the application fee will not be refunded if the candidate is excluded or not selected).
Course fee: 250€
School Insurance: 2,10€

Note: FFUL doctoral students who wish to take the course as part of their compulsory 1st year curricular component are exempt from paying the application fee and the Course 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.

For information regarding the application process and the course organization, please contact the Academic Office: doutoramentos@ff.ulisboa.pt