Results - Bolsa BRF 2026

The winning projects for the BRF 2026 Grant have been selected!

The BRF 2026 Grant is an initiative funded by FCT – the Foundation for Science and Technology.

This year, we received 17 applications, of which 5 were selected.

The results were as follows:

1.Project "Early-life adiposity dynamics as determinants of cardiometabolic risk in young adulthood: a UK–Portugal collaborative study"

This project investigates how the timing and patterns of early-life growth, specifically adiposity peak and adiposity rebound, influence cardiometabolic health at age 18 using data from the Generation XXI birth cohort. The study will assess whether BMI mediates these associations and examine detailed metabolic and vascular outcomes. The collaboration also promotes knowledge exchange through researcher mobility, advanced methodological training, and the development of future joint UK–Portugal research funding applications.

Susana Santos 

Institute of Public Health of the University of Porto (ISPUP) - Assistant researcher 

Ahmed Elhakeem 

Medical Research Council (MRC) Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU) at the University of Bristol - Senior Research Fellow

2.Project "Engineering the mechanical niche to understand brain organoid morphogenesis"

This project establishes a new collaboration between the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (UK) and the Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences / Instituto Superior Técnico (Portugal) to investigate how the mechanical properties of the cellular microenvironment influence early human brain development. By combining human brain organoids with biomaterials of tunable stiffness, the team will develop innovative experimental models, promote researcher mobility and training, and generate preliminary data to support future joint funding applications in neurodevelopment, bioengineering, and regenerative medicine.

Teresa Pereira da Silva

UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health - Postdoctoral Researcher

João Fernandes da Silva

Instituto Superior Técnico / Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences (iBB) - Invited Assistant Professor

3.Project "Decoding DNA replication across the cancer epigenome"

This project brings together researchers from the University of Cambridge and NOVA University Lisbon to better understand how cancer cells replicate their DNA and why this process can become more vulnerable to errors. Using artificial intelligence and advanced data analysis, the team will investigate how cancer-associated changes influence the stability of genetic material.

Francisco Pinto Berkemeier 

University of Cambridge - Postdoctoral Researcher 

Ana Rita Grosso

NOVA University of Lisbon - Assistant Professor

4. Project "In vivo imaging of glioblastoma microstructure (GBscope)"

This project brings together researchers from King's College London and i3S to develop a novel MRI framework for the in vivo characterisation of glioblastoma microstructure, the most aggressive primary brain tumour in adults. By combining advanced diffusion MRI modelling, translational imaging and histological validation, the team aims to create a clinically translatable tool that will improve tumour characterisation, treatment monitoring and support more personalised approaches to glioblastoma management.

Rui Simões

i3S – Institute for Research and Innovation in Health – Research Associate

Andrada Ianuș

King's College London – Assistant Professor

5. Project "SAFE-CYCLE UK-PT: Benchmarking Bikeable and CycleRAP for Proactive Cycling Safety in London"

This project develops AI-driven methods to predict cycling and micromobility accident risk in London before collisions occur. It compares the established CycleRAP methodology with the Bikeable metric, combining both with dynamic factors such as weather, lighting and traffic conditions to improve risk prediction. Led by the London School of Economics in collaboration with the University of Coimbra/CITTA, the project aims to support evidence-based transport planning and safer cycling infrastructure.

Luís Artur Domingues Rita

Centro de Investigação do Território, Transportes e Ambiente (CITTA)

Department of Civil Engineering Universidade de Coimbra - Investigador Integrado

Jenevieve Treadwell

The Global School of Sustainability London School of Economics and Political Science - Policy Fellow

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PARSUK continues to actively seek partners to fund additional grants under the current call. The selected supervisors and grant recipients will be contacted should this funding become available.

All applicants will receive an email informing them of the final outcome of their applications. This communication will be sent by the project’s Organising and Advisory Committee.

Congratulations to the selected applicants, and we wish all candidates every success in their academic careers!

The Organising Committee of the BRF 2026 Grant