Nos últimos 65 anos, o mar subtraiu à costa portuguesa uma área equivalente a 1 400 campos de futebol. As projeções apontam para um problema crescente e de grande escala, que ameaça praias, habitações e infraestruturas em todo o país. Adriano Bordalo e Sá, professor catedrático do Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar da Universidade do Porto, ajuda a compreender as razões deste fenómeno.
Veja a peça completa here.
Fonte: TVI notícias. Imagem: Unsplash.
Professor catedrático no Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Adriano Bordalo e Sá alerta, em entrevista ao JN, que “muitas das grandes barragens não estão nas mãos do Estado português”, o que dificulta o controlo das descargas e das cheias.
Read the full text here.
Fonte: JN. Imagem: Unsplash.
The One Health PhD Forum, organized by the ICBAS One Health office since 2024, brings together students from all ICBAS doctoral programmes to foster dialogue and collaboration around One Health. The event annually recognises the best presentations with travel grants — €1,000 for the best oral presentation and €300 for the best poster — enabling the recipients to gain new skills, meet other research teams, and enhance their training. Three students have recently returned from placements and conferences made possible by these grants.
The first edition of the meeting, in 2024, awarded Carla Sousa for the best poster presentation. The student from the Doctoral Programme in Animal Science completed a two-month placement at Sapienza Università di Roma, as part of a team dedicated to studying parasites in fish and their impact on public health. The experience allowed them to work with advanced Anisakis parasite identification and genetic analysis techniques ,attend scientific seminars, and learn more about the risks associated with fish consumption. ‘It was an extremely rewarding experience, both scientifically and personally. I was very warmly welcomed and learned a great deal.’
In 2025, the best poster at the II One Health PhD Forum was awarded to Diana Freitas, a student from the Doctoral Programme in Aquatic Sciences – Biology and Ecology. With the support of the grant, she attended the conference Aquaculture Europe 2025, in Valencia, where she presented her work on the effect of temperature changes on limpet fertilisation (Patella ordinária). 'Without the award, participation would not have been possible, as funding available for doctoral students is very limited. It was a very positive experience.'
The winner of the best oral presentation in 2025, Catarina Aluai-Cunha, a student from the Doctoral Programme in Veterinary Sciences, undertook a one-week scientific visit to University of Copenhagen. “The stay allowed me to engage with experts in the field of animal microbiome and immunology, observe laboratory activities, and participate in team meetings. ‘I return with new knowledge, fond memories, and great motivation. It was an excellent opportunity".
These three experiences demonstrate the positive impact of the grants from the One Health PhD Forum, which have enabled ICBAS doctoral students to enhance their training, build new international connections, and conduct research relevant to human, animal, and environmental health.
Images: ICBAS
On 8 November 2025, the Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS) of the University of Porto celebrated, for the fifth consecutive year, the International One Health Day, promoting activities for all ages that explored health in an integrated way across the environment, plants, animals and people. The event combined hands-on workshops, scientific presentations and a multidisciplinary round table.
The activities for younger participants included observing parasites under the microscope, exploring beach pollution and understanding the impact of the environment on health. Carolina, aged 10, who took part in the workshop “Discovering Zoonotic Diseases”, said: “I really enjoyed seeing the parasites under the microscope and understanding how they affect our health. It was fun to learn while doing the experiments.”
For adults, the session “The Future of Science: One Health in Action” featured research on the microbiome of dogs with cancer, the effects of noise on people with autism and schizophrenia, the impact of climate change on the viability of limpets, and nursing care in adventure sports.
The event concluded with a round table on urban health, where specialists from various fields reflected on habitability, air quality, life with companion animals and urban pests. For Adriano A. Bordalo e Sá, coordinator of the ICBAS One Health Office, this edition was “a clear success”, strengthening scientific literacy and the understanding that human, animal and environmental health are deeply interconnected.
Images: ICBAS
Read the UP News article here.
On 22 October, ICBAS welcomed Professor Ville-Petri Friman from the University of Helsinki, invited by the ICBAS One Health Office as part of the Agro@TecVerde International Seminar Series. Addressing an audience mainly composed of students, the lecture — “Using phages to promote plant growth” — explored the role of bacteriophages in promoting plant growth and controlling pathogenic bacteria. Professor Friman explained how microbial communities influence ecosystems and pathogens, highlighting practical applications in combating antibiotic resistance and improving plant health. His work exemplifies the One Health concept in practice, demonstrating how plant microbiology research connects with human, animal, and environmental health, and underlining the importance of alternative solutions to current health and ecological challenges. The seminar provided a unique opportunity for participants to engage with an emerging field of scientific research in microbiology.
Image: ICBAS
An X-ray of the waters of the River Douro
For 40 years, the assessment has been almost consistently poor: pollution is increasing, and the waters are far from suitable for bathing, an analysis with the hydrobiologist and ICBAS lecturer Adriano Bordalo e Sá.
Listen to the full interview here, between minutes 12:56 and 27:15.
Source: Portugal em Direto, Antena 1, RTP. Image: Unsplash.
Last Sunday (12 October), the morning Plenary Session, held as part of the 12th edition of the Portuguese Congress of Medical Students, was dedicated to the theme “One Health: Medicine Beyond the Human Body.” Moderated by Prof. Maria Stretch (ICBAS) and featuring contributions from Prof. Adriano A. Bordalo e Sá (Biologist, ICBAS), Prof. Raquel Duarte (Medical Doctor, ICBAS) and Dr. Lara Fontes (Veterinary Surgeon, UTAD), the event highlighted the importance of the holistic perspective on health that underpins the One Health concept. Indeed, when the environment in which living beings exist is not healthy, the health of plants and animals becomes compromised — and that of people is strongly affected. The talks were followed by a lively and fruitful discussion between the panel and an audience composed of students from all national medical schools.
Image: ICBAS
There are three screenings focused on the themes of water, food, and pollution and chronic diseases, which, during October, will bring the 50th-anniversary celebrations of the Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS) of the University of Porto to Casa Comum – the Rectorate of U.Porto – as part of the ICBAS One Health film series.
This initiative results from a partnership between the ICBAS Communication and Image Office (GCI), the ICBAS One Health Office, Casa Comum, and CineEco – International Environmental Film Festival of Serra da Estrela.
Read the full article here.
Source: Notícias UP; Image: U. Porto.
Around 15 students have started classes for the Master’s in Animal Behaviour Applied to Global Welfare, which begins this academic year with its first edition at the Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS) of the University of Porto.
Floro Neves watched the official launch of the master’s programme last Friday (19 September) with great excitement: 'This is a master’s that really interests me. I am very motivated to learn the concepts and fundamentals needed to become a professional in this emerging field, possibly as a zookeeper, and help improve the quality of life of animals in conservation,' the student said.
Read the full article here.
Source: Notícias UP; Image: ICBAS.
A project funded by the PRR developed a network to monitor the use of antimicrobials in dairy and pig farming operations.
The use of antimicrobials (AMU) in human and veterinary medicine contributes to maintaining health and well-being but simultaneously induces antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR is increasing and has become one of the main global threats to human and animal health and life, as well as to the environment in general. The adoption of global measures developed according to the “One Health” approach is necessary to contain the AMR pandemic.
In order to help mitigate the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms in humans and animals, the Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS) is leading a project that has already developed several interconnected web platforms. These platforms ensure a process for assessing disease situations in animals on dairy and pig farms, aiming to make the use of these medicines more sustainable and safer.
Read the full article here.
Source: Notícias UP; Image: Unsplash.
