organisation - the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL
RESEARCH STRUCTURES
LABORATÓRIO ASSOCIADO ITQB (LA-ITQB)
Coordinator: Luís Paulo N. Rebelo (ITQB Director)
Since January 2011, following a re-structure, the LA-ITQB brings together the
Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológia (ITQB-UNL), the Instituto Gulbenkian
de Ciência (IGC), the Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica (IBET) and
the Centro de Estudos de Doenças Crónicas (CEDOC-UNL). The current LA-ITQB
is a successor of a previous, smaller consortium, set up in 2001, between ITQB,
IBET, and a few groups of IGC, as one of the first Associated Laboratories in
Portugal. In its present form, it is a much wider partnership whose main aim is
to carry out a collaborative research programme, underpinned by a strong communications
network and sharing of infrastructures, namely libraries, scientific
facilities, academic services, and administrative support.
It is currently one of the broadest Associated Laboratories in terms of scientific
expertise, spanning research areas from Chemistry to Medicine, along the following
research themes:
1. Synthesis, structure, and function of biologically important molecules;
2. From genetics, cell and developmental biology to pathogenesis and novel
therapies;
3. Computational and theoretical biology: from biochemistry to medicine;
4. Host-microbe and host-cancer interactions;
5. Plant genomics and stress responses;
6. Evolution of ecosystems, biological risk, and food safety.
In 2011, research at the LA-ITQB involved 350 PhD holders (post-docs, group
leaders), produced 425 Web of Science-referenced papers, over 10,000 WoS
citations, 45 Highly Cited Papers (world top 1%), an average of one PhD thesis
awarded per week. Across the four research institutes, there were over 380
running projects, with several funding sources including over €5M from the European
Commission. Also in 2011, a further €3.5M euros income in I&D contracts
with the private sector was secured.
CHAMPALIMAUD FOUNDATION NEUROSCIENCE PROGRAMME AT THE IGC
Head: Zachary Mainen
PhD in Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, 1995
Principal Investigator - Systems Neuroscience Group
The Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme (CNP) was created in 2007
through a collaborative agreement between the Champalimaud Foundation and
the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. It is a basic research team with the broad
aim of understanding brain function through integrative biological approaches.
CNP laboratories apply advanced molecular, physiological and imaging techniques
to elucidate the function of neural circuits and systems in animal models
that include Drosophila, mouse, rat and zebrafish.
As of December 2011 the CNP comprises sixteen independent research groups,
including thirteen in-house principle investigators, one research fellow and two
associated external principle investigators. This year, the CNP was joined by
three new investigators (C. Machens, L. Petreanu, A. Renart), one research fellow
(A. Kampff), and recruited another investigator who will join the programme in 2012.
In 2011, CNP investigators published 3 review articles and 10 refereed research
articles, including a study on the role of the dendritic branch in the potentiation
pattern of single synapses, which was published in Neuron (I. Israely). Also, at
the end of 2011, CNP investigators R. Costa and M. Carey received the International
Early Career Scientist Award by Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
The CNP also organises the International Neuroscience Doctoral Programme
(INDP). In this programme students are provided with a broad educational background
through both formal classes and hands-on experience in basic topics
in contemporary neuroscience such as cellular and synaptic physiology, sensation
and action and cognitive neuroscience. Quantitative approaches are
emphasised and students also receive background courses in mathematics and
programming.
IGC ANNUAL REPORT ‘11
RESEARCH STRUCTURES
105