The Polytechnic University of Lisbon (UPL) has announced the results of the 10th edition of the IDI&CA Competition – Research, Development, Innovation and Artistic Creation Projects. Of the 36 projects approved, 12 are led by ISEL faculty members, placing the Institute in the spotlight with the highest number of selected projects. Each project may receive funding of up to €5,000 to support the implementation of its planned activities.Launched in 2016, the IDI&CA Competition aims to stimulate scientific research and innovation within UPL by encouraging the development of multidisciplinary and inter-institutional projects. The initiative seeks to promote knowledge creation and strengthen the institution’s scientific, technological and artistic activities.The results of this edition highlight the quality and relevance of the work carried out by ISEL faculty members and researchers, as well as the institution’s ability to develop and promote innovative projects with the potential for academic, scientific and societal impact.Discover below the 12 ISEL projects that were approved:ProjetoCoordenador/aGLOW-MATIC Paula LouroGradWireIvan GalvãoRamPICAlessandro Fantoni3DS-Relax Joel Paulo3D-IMPACT Nuno BernardesDesCon-SST Armando CordeiroCD4BioFuelPatrícia BarataWaste2Fuel Ângela NunesOmni-Smart Filipe FreitasSilentIES Idália GomesWATTSON Pedro VieiraReWatSoil Ana Melo

Professor Rita Pacheco (DEQ/ISEL), lecturer and researcher at the Centre for Structural Chemistry (CQE), was a member of the T2T – Precision Translational Photothermal Therapy project team, which was distinguished in the Pharmaceutical Research category of the BINOV Awards 2026 , promoted by the Portuguese Pharmaceutical Society.Led by the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Lisbon/iMed.ULisboa, the project is the result of a multidisciplinary collaboration involving researchers from the Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering (IBEB), the Centre for Structural Chemistry (CQE), and IPO Lisboa/iNOVA4Health. T2T explores an innovative nanomedicine-based approach targeting anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, one of the most aggressive forms of thyroid cancer. The strategy is based on the development of nanoparticles capable of converting light energy into heat, with the aim of exploring the potential of photothermal therapy in selected tumour models.Within the scope of this project, the ISEL lecturer is involved in biochemical characterisation and the interpretation of cellular response mechanisms, assessing the biological responses of tumour cell models to the photothermal approach. Her contribution has helped advance the understanding of the effects of this therapeutic strategy and its potential future applications.Commenting on the distinction, Rita Pacheco highlighted the importance of the collaborative work carried out by the team: “It is a privilege to be part of this project. This distinction also recognises the value of multidisciplinary teamwork, in which the integration of different scientific areas and expertise is essential to bringing experimental research closer to clinical challenges and exploring new therapeutic possibilities for diseases for which treatment options remain limited.”

Professor Amélia Loja (DEM/ISEL) has been awarded the Springer Nature Author Service Award 2026, one of the categories of the Springer Nature Editor of Distinction Awards, which annually recognise the outstanding contributions of scientific editors to their academic communities.This award honours editors who stand out for enhancing the author experience and promoting peer-review processes that are efficient, constructive, and fair. The distinction acknowledges their commitment to ensuring editorial quality, supporting authors throughout the scientific publishing process, and fostering rigorous and transparent article evaluation practices.The Editor of Distinction Awards celebrate the work carried out by the editorial teams of Springer Nature’s scientific journals, whose contribution is essential to advancing knowledge and disseminating high-quality research.

Professor Paulo Ivo Teixeira (DF/ISEL) has been appointed to the Editorial Advisory Board of The Journal of Chemical Physics (JCP) for the term beginning 1 July 2026 and ending 31 December 2028.The Editorial Advisory Board of JCP—published by AIP Publishing—consists of rotating international experts who advise editors on policy, scientific content, and act as guest reviewers. Consult the full membership of the JCP Editorial Advisory Board, here. Photo: GCI/UPL

Professor Nuno Henriques (DEM/ISEL) participated as an invited speaker at the SCIE Conference — Performance-Based Design, organized by SFPE Portugal (Society of Fire Protection Engineers), which took place on 15 October at the VIP Grand Lisboa Hotel & Spa in Lisbon.The ISEL faculty member took part in the roundtable discussion “Fire Safety Challenges in a Changing World”, where he addressed the role of academia in responding to the sector’s emerging challenges. His contribution focused on the importance of higher education, scientific research, and the training of future professionals in developing more effective solutions tailored to today’s fire safety requirements.The conference’s central theme was the transition from the traditional prescriptive approach to Fire Safety in Buildings (SCIE) towards a performance-based approach, which enables safety solutions to be adapted to the actual risk profile of each building, promoting greater flexibility and better alignment with the specific characteristics of each project.The event brought together experts, practitioners, and representatives from various organizations to discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with the evolution of Fire Safety in Buildings (SCIE) in Portugal, with a particular focus on the adoption of performance-based design approaches.

On 19 October, ISEL and Thales Portugal signed a cooperation agreement aimed at promoting the development of joint initiatives in the areas of advanced education, research, and technological innovation.This agreement represents an important step in strengthening the connection between academia and industry, creating the conditions to identify and develop collaboration opportunities aligned with technological challenges and the qualification needs of the industrial sector.Among the areas to be explored in the short term, advanced education stands out, particularly the development of doctoral programmes in non-academic environments. This approach will help bring scientific research closer to real-world business challenges while fostering knowledge and technology transfer. It may also contribute to the training of highly qualified professionals, while simultaneously promoting applied research and business innovation.Another priority area is the Postgraduate Programme in Advanced Technologies for Drones, offered by ISEL, which may provide an opportunity to develop specialised skills in a rapidly evolving technological field with applications across various sectors and growing relevance for industry.The cooperation may also pave the way for other joint initiatives in education, research, and technological development, leveraging ISEL’s engineering expertise and Thales Portugal’s technological and industrial experience.Through the signing of this agreement, ISEL reinforces its strategy of strengthening ties with industry and enhancing the value of knowledge generated in higher education, promoting partnerships that contribute to professional qualification, innovation, and the development of technological solutions with an impact on society and the economy.The agreement therefore establishes a framework for collaboration in identifying and implementing projects of mutual interest, with particular emphasis on advanced education and applied research opportunities to be developed in the short term.