Results of the Call for PhD Research Studentships Maria de Sousa

FCT has announced the provisional results of the Maria de Sousa I SEAGULL - Seeking Epidemiological and Virological AnswersCall for Doctoral Research Studentships , opened in collaboration with the Agency for Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation (AICIB), which will fund 33 Studentships, corresponding to an investment of 2.4 million euros.

The aim of this Call is to fund doctoral research Studentships aimed at obtaining new knowledge and creating skills to respond to epidemiological and virological phenomena, including pandemics, and which translate into efficient prevention measures, better healthcare and effective support for citizens. 

46 applications were submitted, of which 38 met the requirements for evaluation. The 33 Studentships to be awarded correspond to a success rate of 87% of the applications evaluated. The provisional results of the evaluation show that 79% of the successful candidates are women, 15% have foreign nationality, and 18% of the work plans are carried out in conjunction with foreign researchers and institutions.

The Studentships to be awarded contribute to the following objectives:

1) Epidemiology and risk factors for infection and serious illness by the virus. 

2) Human-animal interaction, mechanisms of resistance and interspecies transmission of the virus, and the risk of pandemics. 

3) Strategies to prevent and prepare for new epidemics, including vaccines. 

4) Innovative approaches, including new methods and new technologies, for diagnosing the disease. 

5) Characterization of viral infection mechanisms. 

6) Characterization of the host's cellular and serological immune response to virus infection, the impact of age and comorbidities. 

7) Development of new therapies and new therapeutic approaches, including life support and personal protective equipment to combat the disease. 

8) Repercussions of viral infection on maternal and newborn health. 

9) Psychological impact and behavioral changes associated with the pandemic.

The work plans of the applications funded under the Call 's objectives show a greater focus on objective 7, with a total of 12 Studentships (23%), followed by objectives 6 and 9, with a total of 9 Studentships each (17%).

The applications were assessed by a scientific panel using a peer review system, with three evaluation criteria: merit of the candidate, merit of the work plan and merit of the host conditions. This evaluation panel included 13 experts from the scientific community, affiliated to 9 research units, 7 of whom (54%) are women.

The title Maria de Sousa given to this Call for PhD Research Studentships is a tribute to the researcher, emeritus professor at the University of Porto and emeritus researcher at the i3S Institute, and also retired full professor at the Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences, internationally renowned for her studies in the immunological area and especially in the thymus-dependent area, or T area. 

The FCT's Doctoral Research Studentships are competitively awarded grants to support advanced training in all areas of knowledge to obtain the academic degree of Doctor. These Studentships allow doctoral students to dedicate themselves exclusively to their research, thus contributing to the country's scientific and technological development.

This is the 2nd edition of the Call for Doctoral Research Studentships in Epidemiology and Virology. The 1st edition of Doctorates4Covid funded 50 Studentships, corresponding to an investment of 3.5 million euros. See the news here.