NOVA Institute for Medical Systems Biology (NIMSB) is pleased to announce that Group Leader Sophia Maschalidi has been awarded an LS4FUTURE Seed Grant as Main Applicant, in collaboration with Otília Vieira (NOVA Medical School), who joins the project as Main Co-Applicant.

The funded project, titled “Epigenetic Orchestration of Efferocytosis by Dendritic Cells” aims to deepen our understanding of how immune cells regulate the clearance of dying cells – a critical process for maintaining tissue homeostasis and preventing chronic inflammation.

By leveraging advanced proteomics approaches, the research team will map epigenetic changes occurring during efferocytosis. This work is expected to uncover novel molecular mechanisms that govern tissue repair and inflammatory responses, with potential implications for diseases such as atherosclerosis and chronic wounds.

This award is part of the LS4FUTURE seed funding programme, which supports innovative and collaborative research initiatives across institutions. In this call, a total of three projects were funded, involving multiple principal investigators and highlighting the strength of interdisciplinary collaboration within the NOVA research ecosystem.

This achievement reinforces NIMSB’s commitment to advancing cutting-edge biomedical research and fostering collaborative partnerships that address complex health challenges.