Jorge Diogo da Silva, researcher at the Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS) of the University of Minho’s School of Medicine (EMUM), was awarded today the João Monjardino Prize 2024 for his pioneering study on spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 / Machado-Joseph disease—a rare, hereditary neurodegenerative disorder that currently has no effective treatment.
The award ceremony took place this afternoon, September 19 at 14:00, in the Zulmira Simões Auditorium at EMUM, on the Gualtar campus in Braga, with an audience that included leading figures from the Portuguese scientific and academic communities. The event was also broadcast live on YouTube.
The programme included opening addresses by Madalena Alves, President of the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), and Rui Pulido Valente, President of the Francisco Pulido Valente Foundation (FFPV), which jointly promote the prize. Speeches were also delivered by Rui Vieira de Castro, Rector of the University of Minho, and Jorge Correia-Pinto, President of EMUM, who reflected on the role and growth of biomedical research at the institution.
As part of the ceremony, Jorge Diogo da Silva presented his awarded study, titled “Glucocorticoid receptor-dependent therapeutic efficacy of tauroursodeoxycholic acid in preclinical models of spinocerebellar ataxia type 3”, published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation. The research demonstrated that TUDCA, a clinically approved and well-tolerated drug, can protect nerve cells and slow disease progression in animal models of spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 / Machado-Joseph disease. These promising results pave the way for future clinical trials and represent a significant step toward potential treatment for this currently incurable condition.
From left to right: Manuel Sobrinho Simões, Jorge Diogo da Silva and Madalena Alves
The ceremony also included a tribute to João Monjardino, delivered by Maria do Carmo Fonseca, board member of the FFPV, and concluded with the formal presentation of the prize diploma. Closing remarks were made by Madalena Alves and Manuel Sobrinho Simões, member of the FFPV advisory board and a prominent voice in biomedical science in Portugal.
The João Monjardino Prize is one of the most prestigious national distinctions for young researchers in the biomedical sciences. It awards €10,000 annually to a scientist under the age of 35 working in Portugal who has authored the best scientific article of the previous year in this field. Established in 2010, the prize honours João Monjardino, a pioneer in virology and oncology in Portugal.
