Health Marathon awards research prizes in the field of cancer

The Health Marathon Awards for Cancer Research are today awarded to Maria do Carmo Pereira from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Porto and Adriana Sánchez Danés from the Champalimaud Foundation for their work in the field of brain cancer.

The main objective of the annual Health Marathon Awards, which this year recognize Cancer Research, is to promote knowledge and the discovery of innovative therapeutic solutions to combat this disease. The funding for these awards, totaling €40,000, came mainly from donations raised during the Health Marathon television show, held in partnership with RTP in March 2019, as well as other support from civil society. In this 6th edition dedicated to Cancer, Janssen was one of the main partners of the Health Marathon and will associate its name with one of the Awards.

During the Call, organized in partnership with the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and aimed at researchers and doctors who proposed to develop a research project at an institution based in Portugal, 109 applications were received. The proposals were evaluated by an international panel of 76 scientists in the field of cancer and by the scientific council of the Health Marathon, which selected the two researchers, one in the senior category and the other in the junior category, who will receive this edition's awards.

Health Marathon Award Senior Category
Maria do Carmo da Silva Pereira
Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto
“Nanotechnology in the treatment of brain cancer”

Janssen Health Marathon Award Junior Category
Adriana Sánchez Danés
Champalimaud Foundation
“Identifying tumor cells in pediatric cancer that are resistant to therapy”

The Health Marathon Awards Ceremony for Cancer Research will take place today at 5 p.m. and will be broadcast live on YouTube and Facebook. This event will feature presentations of the projects by the two award-winning scientists, as well as appearances by Maria de Belém Roseira (Chair of the Board of Directors of Maratona da Saúde), Gonçalo Reis (Chair of the Board of Directors of RTP), Helena Pereira (Chair of the Foundation for Science and Technology), and Filipa Costa (General Manager of Janssen Portugal).

According to Maria de Belém Roseira, president of Maratona da Saúde, “these awards demonstrate that civil society is also involved in funding scientific research for health in Portugal, with broad participation.”

The annual editions of the Health Marathon consist of several awareness-raising initiatives organized throughout the country and culminate in a charity day broadcast live on RTP 1 and RTP Internacional for several hours (television marathon). This project is only possible in Portugal thanks to the support of all the entities associated with the Health Marathon, including the Altice Portugal Foundation, the Gulbenkian Institute of Science, Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, Creative Minds, Cev Fiscalidade, Vieira de Almeida, Janssen, Sanofi, Roche, Pfizer, and several patient associations and medical societies. The annual Solidarity Day of the Health Marathon has also enjoyed the high patronage of the Presidency of the Republic for several editions.

Donations to the Health Marathon can be made throughout the year via premium rate calls to 760 20 60 90 (€0.60 + VAT) or via IBAN: PT50 0035 0413 00044189730 73 BIC SWIFT: CGDIPTPL.

Learn more at www.maratonadasaude.pt.