10.2 Summary in English for general dissemination purposes The successful association of the two groups that constitute the ICVS/3Bs allowed to implement advances in the interface Health Sciences/Technology, representing an exceptional instrument to create an internationally competitive niche of research and innovation in Portugal. Therefore, based on the premise of our achievements during 2013-2017, the ICVS/3Bs aims for the period 2018-2022 to contribute to advance basic research on the pathophysiology of target disorders with societal impact and, in parallel, to develop new technologies, therapies and medical products for vaccination, diagnosis, regenerative nanomedicine, precision medicine and minimally invasive therapeutic procedures. Therefore, the ICVS/3Bs activities will be organized under the framework of the 6 following multidisciplinary Thematic Lines (TL) already in activity: 1) Advanced biomaterials, biomimetics and nanomedicine; 2) Tissue Engineering, Regenerative and Precision Medicine; 3) Stem cell technologies and engineered 3D tissue/disease models; 4) Microbiology and Infection; 5) Neurosciences; and 6) Surgical Sciences (3 lines corresponding to core areas of the 3Bs and the other 3 of the ICVS). In addition, we will launch a novel TL based on the paradigm change that addresses health from the populations' perspective: 7) Population Health. The TLs mainly centred at the ICVS will focus on strengthening the established pipeline from basic to preclinical and clinical studies, in association with the Clinical Academic Center (2CA) and with the TLs mainly centred at the 3Bs, that will focus in advancing tissue engineering and personalized medicine discoveries by the integration of key enabling nanotechnologies, advanced biomaterials and stem cells. To achieve our ambitious goals at the frontline Health Sciences/Technologies, we set-up a scientific framework that goes from the more fundamental in vitro research, to assessment in adequate animal models and pre-clinical validation, clinical trials, and interventions at the population level. We also positioned the ICVS/3Bs into a network that will ultimately translate to the market innovative solutions based on novel prophylactic measures, diagnosis methods and advanced combinatory therapies. The proposed Thematic Lines and the projects within them are by nature multidisciplinary and designed to follow the above described strategic pipeline. We consider that this policy will enable a large step forward in the research of the ICVS/3Bs, increasing its competiveness, the excellence of the outcomes, the publication records, the advanced training at the postgraduate and professional levels, and its sustainability by leading to intellectual property and increased capability to create added value. To achieve these goals, the ICVS/3Bs will strengthen its team and technological platforms, based on its ability of networking and of attracting competitive funding at the national and international levels, including the EU Horizon 2020. 10.3 Summary in English for evaluation The successful association of the two groups that constitute the ICVS/3Bs allowed to implement advances in the interface Health Sciences/Technology, representing an exceptional instrument to create an internationally competitive niche of R&D in Portugal. Therefore, based on the premise of our achievements during 2013-2017, the ICVS/3Bs aims for the period 2018-2022 to contribute to advance basic research on the pathophysiology of target disorders with societal impact and, in parallel, to develop new technologies, therapies and medical products for vaccination, diagnosis, regenerative nanomedicine, precision medicine and minimally invasive therapeutic procedures. The ICVS/3Bs activities will be organized under the framework of the 6 following multidisciplinary Thematic Lines (TL) already in activity: 1) Advanced biomaterials, biomimetics and nanomedicine (AdvBiomat); 2) Tissue Engineering, Regenerative and Precision Medicine (TERM&PrecisionMed); 3) Stem cell technologies and engineered 3D tissue/disease models (Stem&3DModels); 4) Microbiology and Infection (MicroInfect); 5) Neurosciences (NeuroS) and; 6) Surgical Sciences (SurgicalS) - 3 TL corresponding to core areas of the 3Bs and 3 of the ICVS. In addition, we will launch a novel TL based on the paradigm change that addresses health from the populations' perspective: 7) Population Health (PopHealth). The TLs mainly centred at the ICVS will focus on strengthening the established pipeline from basic to preclinical and clinical studies, in association with the Clinical Academic Center (2CA) and with the TLs mainly centred at the 3Bs, that will focus in advancing tissue engineering and personalized medicine discoveries by the integration of key enabling nanotechnologies, advanced biomaterials and stem cells. 1-AdvBiomat TL will explore new sources of natural origin biomaterials and bioactive agents to enhance their functional and structural properties (e.g. development of smart/bioinstructive materials) and nanotechnologies will be developed/implemented to process them into different structures. 2-TERM&PrecisionMed TL, innovative 3D-biomaterials structures with more complex/multiple functionalities and cells sources will be explored towards the development of more efficient tissue substitutes, with a particular emphasis on technological platforms enabling personalized tissue engineering strategies to generate tissue-like substitutes tailored to patient specificities. 3-Stem&3DModels TL will advance on elucidating the influence in stem cells biology and biochemistry provided by environmental factors including cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions and soluble stimuli. This will allow defining the ideal 3D environment that maximizes the biological/biochemical potential of different stem cells for creation of (patho)physiological 3D in vitro models. 4-MicroInfect TL will unravel key mechanisms of host-pathogen interaction, specifically those underlying host resistance/susceptibility, aiming at understanding how microorganisms contribute to disease, developing applications for the identification of prognostic, diagnostic and therapeutic targets for personalized medical interventions. 5-NeuroS TL will focus on the establishment of functional and structural correlations mediated by precipitating factors (e.g. stress and aging) and its implications in cognition and in neuropsychiatric disorders. Detailed assessment of neuroplastic events combined with behavioural, neurochemical and electrophysiological, molecular biology, (epi)genetics and neuroimaging correlates will be explored to understand the pathophysiology of specific neuropsychiatric conditions and to explore modulatory interventions promoting recovery of structure and function in neuronal tissues. 6-SurgicalS TL aims at understanding the pathophysiology of disease to uncover novel therapeutic strategies for malignant (cancer) and congenital conditions, in order to identify markers of response to therapy and explore new targets to personalized therapies. Furthermore, we will foster the bench to bedside strategy by developing surgical approaches to minimize surgical aggression in clinical practice. 7-The PopHealth TL to be implemented originates from the health cluster environment around the ICVS/3Bs. The aim is to maximize human resources already available and bring additional expertise to achieve the appropriate conditions to comprehensively target Population Health in its different contents: Epidemiology, Prevention and Intervention, Health Informatics, Health Policy and Management, Biostatistics and Big Data Analysis. To achieve our ambitious goals at the frontline Health Sciences/Technologies, we set-up a scientific framework that goes from the more fundamental in vitro research to assessment in animal models and pre-clinical validation, clinical trials, and interventions at the population level. This complementary interplay constitutes the matrix that boosts translation into the market of innovative solutions based on novel prophylactic measures, diagnosis methods and advanced combinatory therapies. The interaction between the transdisciplinary TLs will enable a large step forward in the ICVS/3Bs R&D, increasing its competiveness, the excellence of the outcomes, the publication records, the advanced training at the postgraduate and professional levels, and its sustainability by leading to intellectual property and increased capability to create added value. To achieve these goals, the ICVS/3Bs will strengthen its team and technological platform, based on the ability of networking and attracting competitive funds. The funds requested to FCT are key for this strategy not only because they represent the recognition of our achievements but because they embody trust on future outcomes. The basal funds will contribute to the maintenance of the available structure while the programmatic will allow moving forward on human resources development (researchers and PhD students). A associação dos dois grupos que constituem o ICVS/3Bs permitiu avanços significativos na interface Ciências/Tecnologias da Saúde, representando um instrumento para a criação de um nicho de I&D em Portugal, competitivo internacionalmente. Tendo como base os resultados obtidos em 2013-2017, o ICVS/3Bs tem como objetivo para 2018-2022 contribuir para avanços significativos na investigação básica da patofisiologia de doenças específicas com impacto societal, e, paralelamente, desenvolver novas tecnologias, terapias e produtos médicos inovadores no contexto da vacinação, diagnóstico, nanomedicina regenerativa, medicina de precisão e procedimentos terapêuticos minimamente invasivos. Assim, as atividades do ICVS/3Bs serão organizadas no âmbito das 6 seguintes Linhas Temáticas (LT) multidisciplinares já existentes: 1) Biomateriais Avançados, Biomiméticos e Nanomedicina; 2) Engenharia de Tecidos, Medicina Regenerativa e de Precisão; 3) Células Estaminais e Modelos 3D de Tecidos/Doenças; 4) Microbiologia e Infeção; 5) Neurociências e; 6) Ciências Cirúrgicas (3 LT correspondentes às principais áreas cientificas/tecnológicas dos 3Bs e outras 3 do ICVS). Adicionalmente, será criada uma nova LT baseada no paradigma da mudança da abordagem da saúde, na perspetiva das populações: 7) Saúde das Populações. As LT maioritariamente centradas no ICVS irão explorar estudos no âmbito da sua rede de investigação básica, pré-clínica e clínica, em associação com o Centro Clínico Académico (2CA) e com as TL maioritariamente centradas nos 3Bs, que irão focar-se na expansão das descobertas em engenharia de tecidos e medicina personalizada, através da integração de nanotecnologias-chave, biomateriais avançados e células estaminais. Para alcançar estes objetivos, na linha da frente das Ciências/Tecnologias da Saúde, estabelecemos um enquadramento científico desde a investigação fundamental in vitro até à avaliação em modelos animais, validação pré-clínica, ensaios clínicos e intervenções ao nível das populações. Posicionámos o ICVS/3Bs numa rede que promove o desenvolvimento de soluções de mercado inovadoras, baseadas em novas medidas profiláticas, métodos de diagnóstico e terapias combinatórias avançadas. As LT propostas e os seus projetos são, por natureza, multidisciplinares e planeados para tirar partido deste “pipeline”. Consideramos que esta estratégia constitui um grande passo em frente para a investigação no âmbito do ICVS/3Bs, aumentando a sua competitividade, a excelência dos seus resultados, as suas publicações científicas, o treino avançado ao nível da pós-graduação e do exercício profissional, e a sua sustentabilidade, através da criação de mais e melhor propriedade intelectual e de valor acrescentado. Para atingir estes objetivos, o ICVS/3Bs irá reforçar as suas equipa e plataforma tecnológica, com base no estabelecimento de colaborações estratégicas e na captação de financiamento competitivo ao nível nacional e internacional, incluindo o EU Horizonte2020