The faculty member and researcher Rita Lopes da Silva, along with principal investigator and professor Bruno Heleno from NOVA Medical School, are part of the Research2Care (R2Care) project team, which was recently awarded a €20,000 grant by AICIB (Agency for Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation). These two researchers from the Person-Centered Research group will join a team of 12 members and key partners dedicated to developing research projects aimed at addressing the needs of both patients and healthcare professionals.
The R2Care project aims to create a collaborative, multidisciplinary, and multiprofessional network to support research in the Primary Health Care (PHC) units of the Local Health Unit (ULS) of Almada-Seixal. The initiative seeks to adopt a sustainable model capable of providing technical and scientific support to PHC professionals—the entry point to the National Health Service—interested in conducting research.
On a broader scale, the R2Care network aims to increase research opportunities and improve the quality of projects carried out in PHC, fostering evidence-based, person-centered clinical practice, enhancing population health, and improving the efficiency of the healthcare system.
The AICIB Primary Health Care Grant is designed to fund projects that create and develop support structures for clinical research in Primary Health Care. Through these structures, it aims to promote clinical studies and trials in Portugal, ultimately contributing to better healthcare delivery.