O projeto é financiado pelo Fundo Ambiental do Ministério do Ambiente e coordenado por uma equipa de biólogos do CCMAR e da Universidade do Algarve. O nosso objetivo é responder a alertas de arrojamentos mortos de cetáceos (golfinhos e baleias) e tartarugas marinhas ao longo de toda a costa algarvia, de Odeceixe a Vila Real de Santo António, para proceder a amostragens sistemáticas e recolha de informação para determinar padrões de ocorrência de espécies e causas de morte. Teremos uma página na internet responsiva que possibilitará o registo dos alertas de qualquer cidadão que encontre um animal morto arrojado. O projeto tem previsto um grande empenho em apelar à ciência cidadã e promover educação ambiental sobre a temática.

Prompt diagnosis of coronary heart disease to prevent early mortality Coronary heart disease (CHD), which is the leading cause of death worldwide, occurs when blood flow to the heart becomes restricted. Early detection of this condition is of paramount importance for preventing life-threatening events. At present, the most commonly used method for the early detection of CHD is coronary angiography. This test provides images of blood flow through the coronary arteries to the heart. The problem is that it is an invasive procedure, requires hospital admission and exposes patients to radiation, so it is not only expensive, but also rather impractical for routine screening. There is an alternative to this: perfusion cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (perfusion CMR). Unlike angiography, this procedure is safe and non-invasive. The drawbacks are its limited image quality and incomplete heart coverage. Moreover, data interpretation is complex and requires highly trained staff. This has limited the widespread adoption of perfusion CMR. To overcome these drawbacks, the researchers in this project will combine mathematical models of cardiac blood flow, perfusion CMR and image reconstruction to obtain unprecedented insights into heart health. The results from the project will contribute to improving the diagnosis and management of CHD and ultimately increase the survival rates, quality of life and safety of patients. The consortium is led by Teresa Matias Correia from CCMAR and includes Rita Nunes from Associação do Instituto Superior Técnico para a Investigação e Desenvolvimento, Carlos Alberola-López from University of Valladolid and Borja Ibáñez from Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC).  Want to join our team? Apply here      

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AQUAEXCEL3.0 builds on the previous AQUAEXCEL(FP7) and AQUAEXCEL2020 (H2020) projects and aims to further ensure research is aligned with industry needs, to boost the EU aquaculture sector by expanding the Transnational Access programme, and to develop new tools to keep pace with rapid scientific development and add value to existing tools and resources to benefit all users. AQUAEXCEL3.0 is a research infrastructure project to support the sustainable growth of the aquaculture sector in Europe. It includes leading European aquaculture research facilities that work towards advanced integration and standardization of tools for aquaculture research.   A major feature of AQUAEXCEL3.0 is its TRANSNATIONAL ACCESS (TNA) program, allowing external researchers to access the partners’ facilities via submission of research proposals, which are funded based on the evaluation by an independent selection panel.   Access is offered to 40 unique research infrastructures, with experimental costs, travel and subsistence covered by AQUAEXCEL3.0. The available facilities cover the entire range of production systems, environments, scales, fish species and fields of expertise. Further, enlarge the TNA offer by including access to shellfish and macroalgae infrastructures, and by integrating fish production in Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture (IMTA) settings, with shellfish, macro-algae but also insects and marine worms. Access is available to EU and Associated States’ research teams, industry, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), based on the scientific excellence of proposals and relevance to the aquaculture sector. More information about CCMAR Infrastructure offer and TNA applications HERE.     Approved projects The Applicant  Kennedy Bolstad from Simon Fraser University (Canada) will use in 2022, CCMAR Ramalhete Experimental Station facilities to perform the TNA project  "Development and growth of Senegalese sole exposed to different light regimes or endocrine transcriptional regulators" (PID18805). This research will use the Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) to investigate how its growth and retinal development are affected by the spectrum of light and two regulators of cell differentiation: thyroid hormone (TH) and retinoic acid (RA). The rearing light regime affects hatching time, the ability of larvae to detect food, and the incidence of malformations. It also affects endogenous levels of transcriptional regulators like TH and RA, which are critical for organ development, growth and a successful metamorphosis. This research will expose Senegalese sole from the fertilized egg to different light spectra (blue, green, red, white, darkness) to identify a light regime that is optimal for retinal development, successful metamorphosis and growth in aquaculture. The actions of TH and RA will also be explored as modulators of retinal development and growth. This research is important to devise optimal rearing light regimes for the welfare and growth of Senegalese sole in aquaculture.