LA REAL (EN)

Thematic Lines

Thematic Line 1

Health Promotion

Health Promotion through Life Course, Health Trajectories and Transitions, Behavioral Insight and Inequalities

Challenge

According to Horizon Europe Agenda (2021-2027), people in vulnerable stages of life (perinatal, birth, infancy, childhood, pregnancy and late adulthood), including people with disabilities or injuries, have specific health needs that require better understanding and tailored solutions, taking gender and ethical aspects into consideration. 

The follow up of these group of people, in all phases of their lives, will allow reducing related health inequalities and improving health outcomes to the benefit of active and healthy ageing throughout their life course, including through a healthy start of life and diet reducing the risk of mental and physical diseases later in life.

Scope and Activities

The main goal is to promote better health and reduce social and health inequalities around the world, with special attention on those who usually are left behind.

  • To foster comprehensive understanding on how to act on these determinants, identifying effective strategies for behavioural.
  • Strengthen alliances for health and well-being across all sectors, will create supportive environments for health promotion.
  • To develop innovative health promotion strategies that are tailored, effective and sustainable.
  • To create an effective platform for evidence-based policy and interventions development and evaluation.
  • Contribute to implement innovation actions on Active and Healthy ageing, based on synergies with Thematic Line 5, through the development of digital tools.

  • The Team

    • Coordinators

      Sónia Dias

    • Co-Coordinator

      Miguel Lopes

    • Relevant investigators

      Ana Maria Rodrigues

    • Armando Raimundo

    • Jaime Branco

    • José Paulo Santos

    • Susana Viegas

    • Ana Rita Londral

    • Helena Canhão

    • Julian Perelman

    • Luís Miguel Borrego

    • Other Investigators

      Felismina Mendes

    • Isabel Loureiro

    • Manuel Gonçalves Pereira

    • Miguel Xavier

    • Paulo Sousa

    • Rui Santana

Thematic Line 2

New Therapies

New Therapies, Biomarkers and Personalized Medicine in High Burden and High Mortality Diseases

Challenge

Cardiovascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal, mental, infectious diseases, as well as sensation and hearing disorders, are among the most disabling conditions worldwide, contributing to premature death and high health service demand. Despite the increasing prevalence of multimorbidity, healthcare delivery often remains focused on single diseases, which leads to fragmented care. The challenge is to enable the development of new biomarkers and therapies to advance personalized medicine in managing these high-burden diseases, while also understanding and addressing multimorbidity.

Scope and Activities

The main goal is to enhance the understanding and treatment of high-burden and high-mortality diseases through personalized medicine. This will involve developing new markers, therapies, and approaches that are patient-centered rather than disease-focused. The scope also includes improving clinical practices, health services, and outcomes for individuals with these diseases.
 

  • Develop new biomarkers and conduct pre-clinical and clinical trials, including investigator-initiated and population-based studies, to translate research from bench to bedside and communities.
  • Improve clinical practices and health services for individuals suffering from high-burden and high-mortality diseases.
  • Provide consistent descriptions of the burden, injuries, and risk factors associated with diseases that cause premature death, disability, and loss of health.
  • Create screening tools and pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments to enhance patient care and clinical outcomes.
  • Develop and test new modes of care delivery and address the needs of multimorbid patients.
  • Promote integrated strategies to optimize healthy and active aging.
  • Foster dialogue and collaboration between thematic lines and research units, especially those addressing lifestyles, new technologies, access to the market, health services, and health policies.

  • The Team

    • Coordinator

      Pedro Póvoa

    • Co-coordinator

      Jaime Branco

    • Relevant Investigators

      Susana Viegas

    • Luís Miguel Borrego

    • Helena Canhão

    • José Paulo Santos

    • Ana Paula Arez

    • João Pinto

    • Miguel Viveiros

    • Caldas de Almeida

    • Ana Rita Londral

    • Ana Maria Rodrigues

    • Other Investigators

      Paulo Sousa

    • Rui Santana

    • José Fragata

    • Nuno Neuparth

    • Pedro Martins

    • Pedro Escada

    • Paulo Paixão

    • Manuel Gonçalves Pereira

    • Miguel Xavier

    • Inês Fronteira

Thematic Line 3

Global Health

Global Health in One Health

Challenge

Health is central to sustainable development, addressing poverty, planetary protection, and prosperity for all. Achieving these goals requires a multidisciplinary approach that integrates global health and medicine, public health methods, and systems strengthening.

Scope and Activities

To advance knowledge in global health by integrating biological, social, and population-based approaches, with a focus on infectious diseases and mental health. The thematic line aims to strengthen health systems and develop tools to improve health equity and well-being, particularly in resource-limited settings.

  • Support countries in strengthening health systems to achieve universal coverage.
  • Improve individual healthcare in high-disease-burden settings.
  • Develop policies and strategies to improve health system access and efficiency.
  • Create innovative methods for infectious disease surveillance and control.
  • Study drug and insecticide resistance, and promote new therapeutic targets.
  • Guide health systems to prevent and control infectious diseases through personalized approaches.
  • Develop and promote new mental health strategies in collaboration with WHO and other global partners.

  • The Team

    • Coordinator

      Miguel Viveiros

    • Co-coordinator

      José Caldas de Almeida

    • Relevant Investigators

      Manuel Lopes

    • Ana Paula Arez

    • João Pinto

    • Julian Perelman

    • Sónia Dias

    • Pedro Povoa

    • Ana Rita Londral

    • Other Investigators

      Reynaldo Dietze

    • Luís Gomes Sambo

    • Thierry Eric Charles Mertens

    • Paulo Ferrinho

    • Benedetto Saraceno

    • Graça Cardoso

    • Manuela Silva

    • Miguel Xavier

Thematic Line 4

Health Policies

Health Policies, Universal Coverage, Patient Centered and Efficient Healthcare

Challenge

The COVID-19 pandemic and previous crises have highlighted weaknesses in health policies and resource management, exacerbating inequalities in access to care. The challenge is to develop, evaluate, and implement innovative health policies and reforms to optimize health systems.

Scope and Activities

To position REAL at the forefront of health policy evaluation and innovation by developing evidence-based approaches to health prevention, promotion, and efficient healthcare delivery.

  • Create a “health policy evaluation lab” to assess innovative policies.
  • Develop a “policies incubator” for the design and evaluation of innovative solutions.
  • Strengthen partnerships with key national and international stakeholders.
  • Increase patient safety and innovation through collaboration with WHO.
  • Offer advanced training in health policy evaluation and design.

  • The Team

    • Coordinator

      Julian Perelman

    • Co-coordinator

      Miguel Xavier

    • Relevant Investigators

      José Caldas de Almeida

    • Ana Rita Londral

    • Manuel Lopes

    • Helena Canhão

    • Jaime Branco

    • Sónia Dias

    • Other Investigators

      Rui Santana

    • Paulo Sousa

    • Alexandre Abrantes

    • Adalberto Campos-Fernandes

    • Francisco Ramos

    • Ana Escoval

    • Bruno Heleno

Thematic Line 5

Digital Health

Digital Health, Medtech, Health Technology Assessment and Access to the Market

Challenge

Digital health technologies offer innovative solutions to healthcare challenges. However, their development must ensure privacy, data protection, and cost-effectiveness while improving health outcomes.

Scope and Activities

To advance digital health research, technology development, and innovation in medical training, equipment, diagnostics, and patient care, ensuring economic viability and market access.

  • Develop and validate new medical equipment and digital health solutions.
  • Advance artificial intelligence and machine learning for diagnosis and treatment.
  • Improve digital platforms for medical records and patient management.
  • Conduct health technology assessments to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of innovations.
  • Foster partnerships with industry and healthcare providers.

  • The Team

    • Coordinator

      José Paulo Santos

    • Co-coordinator

      Ana Rita Londral

    • Relevant Investigators

      Julian Perelman

    • Helena Canhão

    • Armando Raimundo

    • Ana Maria Rodrigues

    • Manuel Lopes

    • Susana Viegas

    • Sonia Dias

    • João Pinto

    • Miguel Viveiros

    • Pedro Povoa

    • Other Investigators

      Ricardo Vigário

    • Cláudia Quaresma

    • Luis Lapão

    • Bruno Heleno

    • Márcio Navalho

    • Hugo Gamboa