The latest in the series of EARA science communications events, supported by the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) and the Society for Neuroscience (SfN), will take place in Lisbon, Portugal, on 20 November.
Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
Improving Openness in Animal Research in Portugal is a free event (register here) and will focus on why scientists, researchers, press officers and other stakeholders should talk openly about animal research, but will not be a debate about the ethics of animal experimentation.
It will take place on the Wednesday, 20 November, (13:30 – 18:00 WET) at the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown and is a public event, although it will be of particular interest to those working in the life sciences sector.
Following the presentations, moderated by Dr. Isabel Campos, Animal Platform Coordinator of Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, there will be a panel discussion followed by a drinks reception.
Speakers:
Kirk Leech, Executive Director, European Animal Research Association
Kirk is Executive Director of EARA, a communications and advocacy organisation whose mission is to uphold the interests of biomedical, and other life sciences, research and healthcare development across Europe. Previously Kirk worked for the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry and Understanding Animal Research, the UK’s leading advocacy group on the use of animals in medical research.
Dr. Susana Lima, Neuroscientist and Biologist, Champalimaud Center for the Unknown
Susana Lima completed her PhD at Yale in 2005 (under the supervision of Gero Miesenböck) and was subsequently a postdoctoral fellow at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (in Tony Zador’s group) and a research fellow at Champalimuad Center for the Unknown. She became a principal investigator in 2013 and her laboratory uses the house mouse as a model system to investigate the neuronal mechanisms underlying sexual behavior in males and females. Since the beginning of her career, Susana has been interested in openness and transparency about animal research and therefore disseminated her work with the general public in several different formats, including public talks, radio, journals, and magazines.
Sara Sá, Science Journalist, Visão
Sara Sá has been Science and Health journalist at the Portuguese news magazine Visão since the year 2000. She has covered subjects from Cancer and Climate Change, to Genetics and Neurosciences. Sara also contributes to other publications in the editorial group Trus in News, including Visão Júnior, Visão Saúde and Visão História. Her work has been distinguished by the Cancer Journalism Prize (LPCC ), Unesco, and Apifarma. On top of her journalistic work, Sara is also the co-author of the Popular Science book Cem Mitos Sem Lógica.
Dr. Ana Mena, Head of the Science Communication and Outreach Team, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência
After completing her PhD in Cell Biology from the University Nova de Lisboa, Ana Mena worked at the IGC as postdoctoral fellow in science communication, addressing how to raise public awareness about the role of animal research in science. This project included the engagement of scientists in this problematic area, their training to better communicate their research, and the implementation of several communication actions. The strategy of open communication was further continued when she became coordinator of the science communication unit at the IGC in 2012. Ana was also a member of the IGC Ethics Committee, participating in the review of projects involving the use of animals, or of human subjects, from 2010 until 2016.
Last updated on 24/10/19