4/7/2025

On July 1, 2025, the LS4FUTURE held its 2nd General Meeting at Escola Secundária Sebastião e Silva, in Oeiras. The event brought together over 200 participants from the four member institutions — ITQB NOVA, NMS, iBET, and IPO — as well as representatives from national science policy and regional authorities.

The meeting opened with a welcome and reflection session featuring Inês Cardoso Pereira (LS4FUTURE Coordinator), Pedro Patacho (Councillor, Oeiras Municipality), and João Rocha (President of the Council of Portuguese Associate Laboratories). The session was followed by a round table discussion with the directors of LS4FUTURE’s three research units — GREEN-IT, iNOVA4Health, and MOSTMICRO — who shared perspectives on the structural challenges and strategic opportunities facing Portuguese research units and Associated Laboratories.

The scientific program included presentations from all four LS4FUTURE Thematic Lines (TLs):

• From Molecules to Ecosystems
• Mechanisms of Disease for Precision Medicine
• Advanced Therapeutics: Discovery and Development
• Biotechnology for a Sustainable World

Talks covered topics ranging from cryogenic electron microscopy and plant metabolism, to molecular mechanisms of disease, innovative therapeutic platforms, and sustainable food systems and bioelectrochemical technologies.

During the lunch break, a poster session showcased ongoing work from LS4FUTURE research laboratories and facilities, offering participants an additional opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, and discover the breadth of expertise within the network.

In the afternoon, participants engaged in parallel thematic workshops where they identified synergies and discussed priorities within each LS4FUTURE Thematic Line, with a special focus on the role of AI in their development. These working sessions encouraged open dialogue and practical planning among researchers, fostering further alignment across research units and institutions. Each workshop reported its conclusions in a final summary session before the official closing remarks.

This second General Meeting marked a new stage in LS4FUTURE’s institutional development — reinforcing collaboration across disciplines and partners, and laying the groundwork for the next cycle of activities.

LS4FUTURE thanks all participants, speakers, and organizing teams for their valuable contributions to this event.