LATEST NEWS

ciTechCare attended the 22nd Portuguese Diabetes Congress

1 May 2026

ciTechCare attended the 22nd Portuguese Diabetes Congress The Algarve Congress Center hosted the 22nd Portuguese Diabetes Congress on March 5th and 6th. ciTechCare was represented by its coordinator, Professor Maria Guarino, and research fellows Marlene Lages and Neuza Barros, where two scientific posters were presented. The poster entitled “Phase angle as a marker of muscle quality and function in patients with type 2 diabetes, with and without COPD,” authored by Maria Guarino, Marlene Lages, Neuza Barros, Sofia Flora, Nádia Hipólito, Sara Pimenta, Joana Cruz, and Maria Colucci (Federal University of São Carlos), revealed that the phase angle may constitute a

ciTechCare participates in the 1st International Congress on Pulmonary Rehabilitation

26 April 2026

ciTechCare participates in the 1st International Congress on Pulmonary Rehabilitation The 1st edition of the International Congress on Pulmonary Rehabilitation took place in Ílhavo on March 26th and 27th, where several researchers and fellows from ciTechCare, presented some of their research work in the field of Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR). Joana Cruz, PhD, was an invited speaker in the session “Settings for Pulmonary Rehabilitation,” presenting her research work “Maintenance Pulmonary Rehabilitation: where, when, and how?”. Nádia Hipólito, a PhD fellow, presented the poster titled “Physical activity interventions across pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD – a scoping review of methods and behaviour change

ciTechCare researcher joins FCT mobility program in the United Kingdom

14 April 2026

ciTechCare researcher joins FCT mobility program in the United Kingdom Marlene Rosa, researcher at ciTechCare, carried out an international scientific mobility period at Manchester Metropolitan University, in the United Kingdom—specifically at the Games Science Lab—between January 5 and March 5, 2026, as part of the FCT Mobility program. The main focus of this mobility program was the development of serious games and gamification strategies aimed at vulnerable populations, such as older adults and people with cognitive or motor impairments—an area of interest research to Marlene Rosa, who is also CEO of AGILidades, a spin-off from the Polytechnic of Leiria. Under

ciTechCare researcher awarded Dr. Dário Cruz honorary grant

14 April 2026

ciTechCare researcher awarded Dr. Dário Cruz honorary grant The project “Impact of an Artificial Intelligence–Supported Telerehabilitation Program in the Postoperative of Breast Cancer” was one of the winning proposals recognized by the Regional Center Branch of the Portuguese League Against Cancer in the 2025/2026 edition. The project’s principal investigator, Natália Martins, was awarded the Dr. Dário Cruz Grant on February 26—one of four honorary grants. One of the project’s main objectives is to provide specialized and personalized physiotherapy care to women selected for breast cancer surgery, thereby ensuring equitable access to oncological physiotherapy within a healthcare system facing limited resources

The 8th Nutrition Sciences Conference of UTAD dedicates a session to Chrononutrition

30 March 2026

The 8th Nutrition Sciences Conference of UTAD dedicated a session to Chrononutrition Marlene Lages, recently awarded her PhD at ciTechCare, participated as an invited speaker at the 8th Nutrition Sciences Conference, organized by the Nutrition Sciences Student Association (NECN) of the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, on 23 and 24 February, where she delivered the presentation entitled “Chrononutrition: the Impact of Meal Timing on Metabolic Health.” Her presentation addressed the functioning of the circadian system and underscored the importance of synchronizing biological rhythms with dietary patterns, particularly meal timing, highlighting the role of chrononutrition in the promotion of metabolic

ciTechCare receives funding to promote access and adherence to pulmonary rehabilitation

16 January 2026

The SCALE UP project – Scaling up Pulmonary Rehabilitation uptake and adherence: co-design and implementation of a hybrid intervention – was one of the 768 projects funded under the 2023 Call for Scientific Research and Technological Development (IC&DT) Projects in All Scientific Domains, from a total of 2,551 submitted applications. The project will be funded by national and European funds, with a total amount of 250,000 euros. Joana Cruz, a researcher at ciTechCare, will be the principal investigator of the project, which aims to improve access and adherence to pulmonary rehabilitation (PR), as well as to maintain its long-term benefits