Reasons justifying the creation of the course and its integration into the objectives of the U.Porto

The creation of the course germinated within the context of EUGLOH Alliance "European University Alliance for Global Health" that brings together nine universities from across Europe: University of Porto, Université Paris-Saclay, Lund University, University of Szeged, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, University of Alcalá, The Arctic University of Norway, University of Novi Sad, Universität Hamburg. The training activity organized collaboratively within the framework of the EUGLOH Alliance "European University Alliance for Global Health" – a pilot initiative funded by the European Commission through the Erasmus+ Programme. Participation in this Alliance is of strategic importance for the internationalization objectives of the University of Porto. In this context, this proposal for the creation of a training unit is part of the initiative foreseen in the approved EUGLOH 2.0 project, within the scope of WP2 led by the University of Lund (A2.1). This proposal is innovative, as it aims to respond to new training needs, in the face of current societal challenges and new health paradigms.

1. Porto, as well as all the partners, aim at a long-lasting collaboration in higher education and research in a variety of fields related to Global Health. The proposed course aligns with such aims by congregating complimentary experts from different partner Universities to build a course on Synthetic Receptors for PhD students from the consortium.

Synthetic receptors have significant implications for global health in several key areas:

1. i) Disease Diagnosis and Treatment: Synthetic receptors can be designed to bind specifically to disease biomarkers, aiding in early and accurate detection of diseases such as infectious diseases and cancers, which is crucial for effective treatment.

ii)Targeted Drug Delivery: By binding specifically to disease-affected cells or tissues, synthetic receptors can enhance the efficiency of drug delivery, reduce side effects, and improve treatment efficacy.

iii) Biosensor Development: Synthetic receptors are essential for developing biosensors to detect pathogens or toxins, which is vital for monitoring and controlling infectious disease outbreaks.

1. iv) Environmental Monitoring and Remediation: Synthetic receptors can detect low concentrations of pollutants, facilitating early warning systems and monitoring remediation processes. Their high selectivity allows for targeting specific pollutants without affecting the surrounding environment.

General objectives of the course

1. To provide PhD students involved in the research of synthetic receptors or relatable areas with a comprehensive overview of this field of research, broadening their horizons concerning all the potentially alternative approaches for the prosecution of a research plan.
2. To provide the students an in-person contact with the lecturers and colleagues from different Universities, as well as a hands-on opportunity to test different synthetic receptors brought by the lecturers.
3. To involve the students within a multi-university network able to seed future bi/multilateral research collaborations.

16 a 27 de junho de julho de 2025

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