On the eve of the 100 year UP celebrations we went looking for projects “made in UP” that are going to change the World.

Although this is obviously not a measure of the calibre of the UP researchers, try thinking for a few moments how many institutes have initials that immediately come to mind, giving them a significant objective? In Porto you can get into a taxi and say a complex name like IPATIMUP and be transported directly to the institute without being asked where it is or what it is. This is obviously not a measure of its quality; but it is an indicator of the popularity of the Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto. In science, there is no popularity without recognition and no recognition without being acknowledged on an international level. The UP is one of the best universities in the world.     

Manuel Sobrinho Simões, a well reputed pathologist and one of the people responsible for the success of IPATIMUP, explains with a smile, that since the beginning, in 1989, everyone advised against the name and suggested one that was “less silly”. He emphasised that “having UP in the initials was fundamental” and he won. In fact, he has won so many times that it emphasises this humility and makes his teams more visible. “We are on the fourth generation, I have great grandchildren”, this is how he treats his researchers. In terms of the quality of the science produced on stomach and thyroid cancer, this whole family has surpassed reputable institutions such as Harvard, Oxford or Cambridge. It holds first place in the world ranking for Health Science institutions working in the same area.

However, this is not the only “made in UP” that has achieved international recognition. In a university that represents 20% of the scientific articles in Portugal, it is difficult to highlight just four projects capable of changing the World. We have passed the burden onto four directors who have chosen from a list of institutions awarded the highest classifications by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT).

Sobrinho Simões chose Carla Oliveira because “she has taken an astonishing route in her research into hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC)”. João Coimbra, the director of the Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), chose Victor Vasconcelos’ project because “it studies a whole range of unknown organisms that are crucial for our health”. 

José Manuel Mendonça, the president of the Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering of Porto (INESC Porto), highlighted project TriMARES, “for its capacity to integrate various different technologies into one system with highly complex engineering” and for “being able to respond to a specific and relevant problem”.
Mário Monteiro, the director of the Centre of Astrophysics (CAUP) cannot hide his enthusiasm when he talks about “Expresso”, a project led by Nuno Santos and his team that will join together four giant telescopes to discover planets with life.

Tomorrow: students from the University of Porto

Numbers

2700 FOREIGN STUDENTS

This is the number of foreign students that the University of Porto will receive this academic year. It is a record number for the institution that represents 57 nationalities and means an increase of 10% compared to the previous year.

90 MILLION EUROS
This is the value of the projects that the University of Porto is currently running or will soon commence; the majority are funded with community funds.
 

Jornal de Notícias, 20th March 2011