CIIMAR brought together its scientific and professional community for the 2026 Annual Meeting, held on 14 September at the Porto Cruise Terminal.
CIIMAR brought together its scientific and professional community for the 2026 Annual Meeting, held on 14 September at the Porto Cruise Terminal. The event provided a day for sharing research, discussing new opportunities and reflecting on the future of the research institute.
Under the topic “CIIMAR from now to the next decade”, the meeting opened with a welcome from our Director Vítor Vasconcelos, followed by a session highlighting recently graduated PhD holders and their contribution to the next generation of CIIMAR researchers.
The programme also featured presentations of the projects CYASAFE, PhotoVaccine, TASC.RestoreMed, XTREMOLIFE, CLIRAQUA, MAREST and HALOBISE that are funded through programmes including Horizon Europe, Interreg and Water4All.
During the day, some other institutional projects, including ATLANTIDA II, PREMI and initiatives within the Blue Bioeconomy Pact and the development of the Portuguese Blue Biobank were also presented.
Alongside this sample of our projects, the meeting addressed topics relevant to the CIIMAR community, including training and career development, research data management, funding opportunities as well as new policlies that adress AI use within the institution.
Finaly, this Annual Meeting also looked at the paths followed by former CIIMAR students by promoting the session “CIIMAR Alumni what have we done to come to this stage?” This session brought together alumni working across different institutions and professional contexts, offering an opportunity to reflect on their experiences after CIIMAR.
The programme concluded with remarks from Vítor Vasconcelos, followed by a sunset cocktail.
Bringing together different generations, research areas and professional roles, the 2026 Annual Meeting provided an opportunity for the CIIMAR community to look ahead to the future of the research institute.