• Nov 2025 – Jun 2026 | FACTNESS- science-based fact-checking applied to the fitness/wellness influencer ecosystem. 
  Funding: Journalism Science Alliance.
  
  FACTNESS aims to monitor Portuguese fitness and wellness influencers, fact-check health claims, and investigate the supplement industry. By combining scientific expertise and investigative journalism, it seeks to expose misinformation, promote accountability, and empower the public with reliable, evidence-based health information.
  
  
• Jan 2025 – Jun 2026 | 2023.11612.PEX – FLORA.MED – Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of Anthocyanin-Rich Edible Flowers in Metabolic Disease. 
  Funding: Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia.
  
  The FLORA.MED project aims to explore the therapeutic potential of anthocyanin-rich edible flowers in the prevention and mitigation of metabolic disease. The research focuses on the bioactive characterization of these flowers and the assessment of their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, contributing to the development of innovative nutrition-based strategies grounded in natural resources.
  
  
• Mar 2024 – Feb 2028 | SOSFOOD – HORIZON-CL6-2023-GOVERNANCE-01-17, GAP-101134894. Sustainability Optimization for Secure Food Systems.
  Funding: Horizon Europe, European Union
  
  The SOSFOOD project aims to optimize the sustainability and resilience of food systems by promoting integrated solutions that ensure food security in the face of environmental, economic, and social challenges. Through multidisciplinary approaches and collaborative governance, the project seeks to support the transition towards more sustainable and robust food systems.
  
  
• Jan 2023 – Dec 2026 | WHEATBIOME – HORIZON-CL6-2022-FARM2FORK-01-09, GAP-101084344.
  Funding: Horizon Europe, European Union
  
  Unravelling the potential of the wheat microbiome for the development of healthier, more sustainable and resilient wheat-derived food & feed products. The WHEATBIOME project aims to uncover the potential of the wheat microbiome for the development of healthier, more sustainable, and resilient food and feed products. It focuses on the interactions between the microbiome, the plant, and the environment, with the goal of improving nutritional quality, production sustainability, and the resilience of wheat-based agri-food value chains.
  
  
• Jan 2019 - (ongoing) | CITIES FOR BETTER HEATH (CBH) LISBON/ Comer Bem Ajuda a Crescer.
  Funding: NovoNordisk .
  
  In the context of the global CBH, Comer Bem Ajuda a Crescer aims to contribute to the design and implementation of community-based nutrition education and literacy activities in the neighbourhood of Ajuda (Lisbon), targeting children and their families, and supporting the assessment of behavioural and health-related outcomes. 

• Dinis L, Pinheiro H, Póvoa P, Calhau C, Pestana D, Marques C. Acta Med Port. Advancing Access to Intestinal Microbiota Transplant: Bridging the Gap Between National Practices and the European Strategy. 2025 Oct 1;38(10):639-647. doi: 10.20344/amp.22750.
• Ferreira Santos J, Castela I, Gamboa Madeira S, Furtado S, Vieira Pereira H, Teixeira D, Dores H. A digital tool for self-reporting cardiovascular risk factors: The RADICAL study. Int J Cardiol Cardiovasc Risk Prev. 2025; 8;24:200368. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcrp.2025.200368.
• Pereira V, Cuevas-Sierra A, de la O V, Salvado R, Barreiros-Mota I, Castela I, Camelo A, Brandão I, Santo CE, Faria A, Calhau C, Silvestre MP, Moreira-Rosário. Gut Microbiota Shifts After a Weight Loss Program in Adults with Obesity: The WLM3P Study. A.Nutrients. 2025 Jul 18;17(14):2360. doi: 10.3390/nu17142360.
• A menu for microbes: unraveling appetite regulation and weight dynamics through the microbiota-brain connection across the lifespan. Ribeiro G, Schellekens H, Cuesta-Marti C, Maneschy I, Ismael S, Cuevas-Sierra A, Martínez JA, Silvestre MP, Marques C, Moreira-Rosário A, Faria A, Moreno LA, Calhau C. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2025 Mar 1;328(3):G206-G228. doi: 10.1152/ajpgi.00227.2024.
• Ribeiro, G., Fernandes, A. B., Oliveira, F. P. M., Duarte, J. S., Oliveira, M., Limbert, C., Costa, R. M., Costa, D. C., & Oliveira-Maia, A. J. Postingestive reward acts through behavioral reinforcement and is conserved in obesity and after bariatric surgery. PLoS biology, 2024 22(12), e3002936. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3002936.
• Araújo JR, Marques C, Rodrigues C, Calhau C, Faria A. The metabolic and endocrine impact of diet-derived gut microbiota metabolites on ageing and longevity. Ageing Res Rev. 2024 Sep;100:102451. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102451.   
• Peres M, Moreira-Rosário A, Padeira G, Gaspar Silva P, Correia C, Nunes A, Garcia E, Faria A, Teixeira D, Calhau C, Pereira-da-Silva L, Ferreira AC, Rocha JC. Biochemical and Anthropometric Outcomes in Paediatric Patients with Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia after COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdowns: An Exploratory Analysis. .Nutrients. 2024 Jul 8;16(13):2170. doi: 10.3390/nu16132170.
• Sousa S, Paíga P, Pestana D, Faria G, Delerue-Matos C, Ramalhosa MJ, Calhau C, Domingues VF. Evaluating the impact of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon bioaccumulation in adipose tissue of obese women.  .Chemosphere. 2024 Apr;353:141673. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141673.
• Castela I, Morais J, Barreiros-Mota I, Silvestre MP, Marques C, Rodrigues C, Ismael S, Araújo JR, Ângelo-Dias M, Martins C, Borrego LM, Monteiro R, Coutinho SR, Calhau C, Martins C, Faria A, Pestana D, Teixeira D. Decreased adiponectin/leptin ratio relates to insulin resistance in adults with obesity. American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism. 2023; 324(2):E115 - E119. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpendo.00273.2022
• Araújo JR, Serafim T, Ismael S, Calhau C, Faria A, Teixeira D. Intestinal Alkaline Phosphatase Activity and Efficiency Are Altered in Severe COVID-19 Patients. Gastro Hep Adv. 2023 Jul 17;2(7):911-917. doi: 10.1016/j.gastha.2023.07.003.
• Moreira-Rosário A, Ismael S, Barreiros-Mota I, Morais J, Rodrigues C, Castela I, Mendes IC, Soares MI, da Costa LS, Oliveira CB, Henriques T, Pinto P, Pita D, de Oliveira CM, Maciel J, Serafim T, Araújo J, Rocha JC, Pestana D, Silvestre MP, Marques C, Faria A, Polonia J, Calhau C. Empowerment-based nutrition interventions on blood pressure: a randomized comparative effectiveness trial.  Front Public Health. 2023 Nov 13;11:1277355. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1277355.   
• Rodrigues C, Ismael S, Castela I, Barreiros-Mota I, Almeida MJ, Santos GM, Calhau C, Rocha JC, Faria A, Araújo JR. Trimethylamine increases intestinal fatty acid absorption: in vitro studies in a Caco-2 cell culture system. .J Nutr Sci. 2023 Nov 3;12:e108. doi: 10.1017/jns.2023.91.
• Ismael S, Vaz C, Durão C, Silvestre MP, Calhau C, Teixeira D, Marques C. The impact of Hafnia alvei HA4597™ on weight loss and glycaemic control after bariatric surgery - study protocol for a triple-blinded, blocked randomized, 12-month, parallel-group, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Trials. 2023; 29;24(1):362. doi: 10.1186/s13063-023-07383-0.
• Rocha JC, Ahring KK, Bausell H, Bilder DA, Harding CO, Inwood A, Longo N, Muntau AC, Pessoa ALS, Rohr F, Sivri S, Hermida Á. Expert Consensus on the Long-Term Effectiveness of Medical Nutrition Therapy and Its Impact on the Outcomes of Adults with Phenylketonuria. Nutrients. 2023; 15(18):3940. doi: 10.3390/nu15183940.
• Luengo-Pérez LM, Fernández-Bueso M, Ambrojo A, Guijarro M, Ferreira AC, Pereira-da-Silva L, Moreira-Rosário A, Faria A, Calhau C, Daly A, MacDonald A, Rocha JC. Body Composition Evaluation and Clinical Markers of Cardiometabolic Risk in Patients with Phenylketonuria. Nutrients. 2023; 15(24):5133. doi: 10.3390/nu15245133.
• Rodrigues C, Sousa Barbosa C, de Almeida MF, Bandeira A, Martins E, Rocha S, Guimas A, Ribeiro R, Soares A, Moreira-Rosário A, Dias CC, MacDonald A, Borges N, Rocha JC. Protein intake and prevalence of overweight in patients with phenylketonuria: A 10-year longitudinal study. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism. 2025; 144(4):109068. doi: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2025.109068.
• van Wegberg AMJ, MacDonald A, Ahring K, Bélanger-Quintana A, Beblo S, Blau N, Bosch AM, Burlina A, Campistol J, Coşkun T, Feillet F, Giżewska M, Huijbregts SC, Leuzzi V, Maillot F, Muntau AC, Rocha JC, Romani C, Trefz F, van Spronsen FJ. European guidelines on diagnosis and treatment of phenylketonuria: First revision. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism. 2025;145(2):109125. doi: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2025.109125.

• 2025 | Best project of the year in “Research”
  Awarding institution: "Viver Saudável”. 
  Awardee: Shámila Ismael
  Description: Ismael S, Vaz C, Durão C, Tavares A, Rodrigues C, Almeida MJ, Santos GM, Castela I, Cabral F, Toscano F, Galindo L, Pestana D, Araújo JR, Silvestre MP, Calhau C, Faria A, Teixeira D, Marques C. MAESTRO: Gut-adipose tissue axis: a new perspective on the impact of diet on the microbiota and metabolic dysfunction associated with obesity.
• 2025 | Best Oral Comunication
  Awarding institution: 29º Congresso Português de Obesidade, Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo da Obesidade
  Awardee: Vanessa Gonçalves
  Description: Vanessa Gonçalves, Inês Timóteo, Raul Rosa, Rodrigo Silva, Tomás Aleixo, Gabriela Almeida, Diogo Pestana, Inês Castela, Diana Teixeira. Associação do estilo de vida e consumo alimentar com excesso de peso em crianças de Évora: resultados preliminares do estudo RUN UP
• 2025 | Best Oral Comunication
  Awarding institution: XXIV Congresso de Nutrição e Alimentação, Associação Portuguesa de Nutrição 
  Awardee: Inês Timóteo
  Description: Inês Timóteo, Vanessa Gonçalves, Raul Rosa, Rodrigo Silva, Tomás Aleixo, Gabriela Almeida, Inês Castela, Diana Teixeira. Insufficient hours of sleep is linked to inadequate lifestyle in children: Preliminary results from RUN UP study
• 2025 | Best Impact Paper Award 2024
  Awarding institution: American Journal of Physiology – Endocrinology and Metabolism.
  Awardee: Inês Castela
  Description: Castela I, Morais J, Barreiros-Mota I, Silvestre MP, Marques C, Rodrigues C, Ismael S, Araújo JR, Ângelo-Dias M, Martins C, Borrego LM, Monteiro R, Coutinho SR, Calhau C, Martins C, Faria A, Pestana D, Teixeira D. Decreased adiponectin/leptin ratio relates to insulin resistance in adults with obesity. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2023 Feb 1;324(2):E115-E119. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.00273.2022. 
• 2024 | Prémio Dr. Mário Moura - Best Oral Comunication
  Awarding institution: 38ª Jornadas de Cardiologia, Hipertensão arterial e Diabetes, Instituto de Cardiologia Preventiva
  Awardee: Diana Teixeira
  Description: Inês M. Caetano, Mariana Braga, Mariana Casimiro, Ricardo Araújo, Carolina Pereira, Ana Sofia Oliveira, Décio Sousa, Márcia Azevedo, Maria Felício, Rita Rosa, Sandra Pêra, Inês Mota, Hélder Dores, Inês Castela, Diana Teixeira. MEV-ON: Avaliação das atitudes e conhecimentos em nutrição e atividade física e da autoconfiança para realizar recomendações para a Mudança de estilos de Vida em Médicos de Medicina Geral e Familiar - resultados preliminares de um estudo transversal
• 2024 | The European Association for the Study of Obesity Award for Best Collaborative Project
  Awardee: Gabriela Ribeiro
  Description: Award for the best collaborative approach to promoting World Obesity Day Europe. The Nova Medical School in Lisbon marked World Obesity Day Europe, with events extended over a week to raise awareness about obesity as a disease. The activities targeted current and future healthcare professionals, primarily in medicine and nutrition. Since one of the main pillars of the school is to serve the community, activities directed to patients with obesity and individuals were also included. Projects included a “WOD Educators Stand” on the school campus, the production of obesity fact sheets, and a game developed to help better understand knowledge, potential biases and prejudices. An Open Day was also held at the clinic, culinary medicine workshops were held at the NMS Kitchen Lab, and a seminar was organised on obesity and depression.
• 2022 | Excellence in Research Award
  Awarding institution: American Journal of Physiology – Endocrinology and Metabolism.
  Awardee: Inês Castela
  Description: Inês Castela, Juliana Morais, Inês Barreiros-Mota, Marta P. Silvestre, Cláudia Marques, Catarina Rodrigues, Shámila Ismael, João R. Araújo, Miguel Ângelo-Dias, Catarina Martins, Luís Miguel Borrego, Rosário Monteiro, Sílvia Ribeiro Coutinho, Conceição Calhau, Cátia Martins, Ana Faria, Diogo Pestana, Diana Teixeira; Decreased adiponectin/leptin ratio relates to insulin resistance in adults with obesity.
• 2022 | Best project of the year in “Clinical Nutrition”
  Awarding institution: "Viver Saudável”. 
  Awardee: Inês Castela
  Description: Inês Castela, Catarina Rodrigues, Shámila Ismael, Inês Barreiros-Mota, Juliana Morais, João R. Araújo, Cláudia Marques, Marta P. Silvestre, Miguel Ângelo-Dias, Catarina Martins, Luís Miguel Borrego, Ana Faria, Rosário Monteiro, Sílvia Ribeiro Coutinho, Cátia Martins, Conceição Calhau, Diogo Pestana, Diana Teixeira; Turning Trial – Intermittent energy restriction ameliorates adipose tissue-associated inflammation in adults with obesity - a randomised controlled trial.
• 2022 | Honorable Mention Pedro Eurico Lisboa Award (best publication from 2021)
  Awarding institution: 18º Congresso Português de Diabetes
  Awardee: Claudia Marques 
  Description: Shámila Ismael, Marta P. Silvestre, Miguel Vasques, João R. Araújo, Juliana Morais, Maria Inês Duarte, Diogo Pestana, Ana Faria, José B. Pereira-Leal, Joana Vaz, Pedro Ribeiro, Diana Teixeira, Cláudia Marques e Conceição Calhau. A Pilot Study on the Metabolic Impact of Mediterranean Diet in Type 2 Diabetes: Is Gut Microbiota the Key?

Portugal

• Professor Doutor Nuno Mateus, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, REQUIMTE, Porto, Portugal
• Professor Doutor Vítor de Freitas, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, REQUIMTE, Porto, Portugal
• Professora Doutora Iva Fernandes, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, REQUIMTE, Porto, Portugal
• Doutor Hélder Oliveira, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, REQUIMTE, Porto, Portugal
• Professora Doutora Valentina Domingues, Instituto Superior de Engenharia, Instituto Politécnico do Porto
• Professora Doutora Elisa Keating, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, CINTESIS
• Professor Susana Soares, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, REQUIMTE, Porto, Portugal
• Professor Susana Carvalho, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, REQUIMTE, Porto, Portugal
• Professor Luís Cunha, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, REQUIMTE, Porto, Portugal

Spain

• Professor Alfredo Martinez, IMDEA, Research Institute on Food&Health Sciences, Madrid, Spain
• Dr Amanda Cuevas, IMDEA, Research Institute on Food&Health Sciences, Madrid, Spain
• Professor Jesus Simal Gandara, University of Vigo, Spain 
• Professor Luís Moreno, University of Zaragoça, Spain
• Dr Eloy miranda García, University of Vigo, Spain 
• Professor Paulo Felix Lamas, University of Santiago de Compostela
• Professor Isaías Calvo de la Uz, Galician Rural Development Agency, A Coruña, Spain
• Dr Maria Teresa Gonzalez Estevez, Grupo CUEVAS, Spain
• Dr Raffaele Bini, DIH DATAlife, Galizia, Spain
• Dr Anahí Fernández, Contactica, Spain
• Professor Francisco Barba, University of Valecnia, Spain
• Professor Rosa Pérez-Gregorio, University of Vigo, Spain

France

• Professor Alessandra Bagnato, SofteamGroup, Paris, France

Netherlands

• Dr Hans Nouf, Jibe Company, Eindhoven, Netherlands
• Professor Mark Huijbregts, Radboud Univeristy, Mijmegen, Netherlands
• Dr Twan America, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands

Italy

• Professor Andrea Pronti, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy
• Professor Massimiliano Mazzanti, University of Ferrara, Italy

Belgium

• Dr Fabrizio Fabbri, EUROCOOP, Belgium

Greece

• Dr George Tavantzis, JOTIS, Krioneri, Greece
• Professor Vasia Tzouti, JOTIS, Krioneri, Greece
• Professor George-John Nychas, Smart AgroHub, Athens, Greece

Lithuania

• Dr Marius Baubkus, Vikonda Group, Kedainiai, Lithuania
• Professor Kristina Šermukšnytė-Alešiūnienė, Agrifood Lithuania DIH, Vilnius, Lithuania

New Zealand

• Professor Sally D Poppitt, University of Auckland, New Zealand
• Professor Jennifer Miles-Chan, Human Nutrition Unit, University of Auckland, New Zealand

Ireland

• Professor Sharleen O'Reilly, University College of Dublin, Ireland

Denmark

• Dr Ruixin Zhu, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Finland

• Professor Mikael Fogelholm, University of Helsinki, Finland

UK

• Professor Anita MacDolnald, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, UK