The ICVS researcher at the School of Medicine, Tiago Gil Oliveira, is distinguished with the Pfizer 2022 prize, awarded by the pharmaceutical company and by the Society of Medical Sciences of Lisbon. The sum of 30 thousand euros allows the researcher to continue to develop research in the area of neurodegenerative diseases, more specifically Alzheimer’s disease.
One of the main focuses of the project is the attempt to understand which brain regions are more susceptible or more resistant to neurodegenerative diseases.
“In this award-winning work, we used a methodology in which we took advantage of a collaboration between different centers that are dedicated to the neuropathological collection of brains after the patients have died. We then do a research work in the past of these patients, while they were alive, in order to evaluate the cerebral magnetic resonances and also other aspects of the clinical presentation of these patients”, explains Tiago Gil Oliveira.
The objective of the investigation in question is “to use this information and compare what are the clinical characteristics that patients present, while they are alive, and that are related to Alzheimer’s disease”, highlights the young researcher. The comparison extends “to other neuropathological conditions, such as age-related primary tauopathy”, thus managing to find “differentiating aspects” at the level of diagnosis, which may have an impact in the near future on the implementation of more specific and effective treatment strategies. directed to each patient.
As for the award, which has a vast history at national level and which also has enormous prestige in the biomedical sciences in Portugal, the researcher highlights the “enormous pride” of this distinction. “It is a work of many years, of collaboration at an international level and it is a very big effort to be a doctor-scientist. I must say that it is a great sacrifice, on several levels, for our team to combine medical practice and research, but this award is a motivation for us to continue doing our work”, adds the researcher.
After, last week, being recognized with the 2022 D. Manuel de Mello Scholarship, our researcher once again sees his work and that of his research team recognized.
About Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia that causes a global, progressive and irreversible deterioration of various cognitive functions (memory, attention, concentration, language, thinking, among others).
This deterioration results in changes in the person’s behavior, personality and functional capacity, making it difficult to carry out their daily activities.
