ICRC welcomes the Portuguese Ambassador
On Tuesday 21 March 2023, H.E. Luís de Almeida Sampaio, Ambassador of Portugal to the Czech Republic, visited the premises of the International Clinical Research Center (ICRC). During his stay in Brno, he took the opportunity to learn about our research. The delegation was welcomed by Prof. Irena Rektorova, Head of the ICRC, and the team of the ICRC Center for Translational Medicine located in the Biology Park next to the Masaryk University campus. The meeting opened up possibilities for future cooperation.
Photo: Portuguese delegation with ICRC hosts
We discussed the development of possible collaboration between our centre and similar institutions in Portugal. Dr. Giancarlo Forte also showed the guests the research laboratories and samples of cardiac and tumour organoids, which are miniature and simplified organ structures that we use to understand the biology of the heart and cancer or to model diseases and then find appropriate treatments.
Photo: Demonstration of ICRC research
“I am pleased that the meeting highlighted common areas of interest for future cooperation,” said Prof. Rektorová. “We are sincerely touched by the sensitivity and interest the Portuguese Embassy showed towards our research. Portuguese scientists and students have historically been cornerstones of our research group in the ICRC,” added Dr. Forte.
The Ambassador also greeted his compatriots, Sofia Morazzo, Soraia Fernandes and Daniel Sousa, who are based at the ICRC, and learned about their research activities.
Photo: The joint meeting
“It was a pleasure to visit the ICRC in Brno and learn about its mandate and structure, as well as its most representative ongoing projects. Special mention should be made of the group of Portuguese researchers who are involved in cutting-edge projects for the ICRC, contributing to the visibility of Portugal in this prestigious institution and in Brno and the South Moravian Region. During my meetings, other avenues of cooperation were opened. Now it is time to implement the results of our constructive joint negotiations,” he concluded.
The delegation also included the Chancellor of the Portuguese Embassy in Prague José Luís Silva Riço, Director of the Portuguese Centre in Prague Gilda Machado, Assoc. prof. Iva Svobodová from the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures of the Faculty of Arts of MU and Barbora Břenková, assistant of the Portuguese Embassy in Prague. The guests went on to visit Masaryk University.
It has been an honour and we look forward to further meetings and cooperation.
Author: Marta Vrlová, M.A., MPH, Senior PR Specialist ICRC, marta.vrlova@fnusa.cz.
Contact for media: Ing. Jiří Erlebach. Head of PR and Marketing, Spokesperson, FNUSA, +420 543 182 006. jiri.erlebach@fnusa.cz.
The ICRC is a joint workplace of St. Anne’s University Hospital Brno and the Faculty of Medicine of Masaryk University.
