The Unit focus is: clinical and translational biomedical/nutritional research in nutrition/metabolism. Topics are in tune with investigators’ backgrounds/interests. Disease management, nutrition/life-style related risk factors always prevail, e.g. nutrition and cancer, nutrition and Quality of Life, metabolic dysfunction, nutrients and disease modulation/therapy/prognosis, obesity, fatty liver and insulin resistance. We also investigate interconnections with basic science, thus genetic polymorphisms studies of inflammatory /immuno-modulatory cytokines, as pathogenic mechanisms of lesion, nutritional deterioration or metabolic implications; the role of nutrigenetics in cancer and inflammatory diseases, as well as apoptosis in cancer and alcoholic/non-alcoholic liver disease.

Maria Ermelinda Camilo
MD (1965) and PhD (1985) at Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa (FMUL)
Assistant Professor at FMUL.
Retired from Auxiliary Professor FMUL and Consultant of Gastroenterology HSM since June 2008, remains voluntarily as Head of Unit.

HEPATOLOGY
PI: Helena Cortez-Pinto

2008/2011 Nutraceuticals: a shield against chronic disease? contribution for the rationale of a new therapeutic option. Coordinator: A. Sousa-Guerreiro. PTDC/SAU-OSM/66323/2006, total € 170.000.

 

2009/2012 Prevalence and severity of fatty liver in morbid obesity: correlation and mechanisms related with the role of ectopic fat in insulin resistance. Coordinator: H.Cortez-Pinto. PTDC/SAU-OSM/100878/2008, total €139.010.

 

2010/2013 Targeting microRNA-34, a Potential Link between Apoptosis and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Pathogenesis. Coordinator: C.M. Rodrigues. PTDC/SAU-ORG/111930/2009, total € 120.000.
 

2009/2011 Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of Levodopa-Carbidopa Intestinal Gel in Levodopa-Responsive Parkinson's Subjects. Our participation pertains to the placement of the PEG/PEJ device. Coordinator: Joaquim Ferreira. Industry sponsored.

 

ONCOLOGY, RADIOTHERAPY
PI: Isabel Monteiro Grilo

2008/2010 Quality of Life in the prostate cancer patient undergoing radiotherapy. PI: Filipe Barbosa, Coordinator: Isabel Monteiro Grillo.

 

2010 I Monteiro-Grillo. Participant in Research Projects with Prof. Ducla Soares from the Faculty of Sciences.

 

2010 Combined HDR BT and 3D-CRT in intermediate and high risk  prostate  cancer  patients:  a dose  escalation method. Participants: Olalla  Santa Cruz,  Carlos Jesus, João Melich-Cerveira, Gisela Marcelino, Isabel Monteiro-Grillo.

 

2010 Salvage External Beam Radiotherapy after Biochemical Recurrence or following prostatectony (differs) in prostatectomized patients. Participants: João Melich-Cerveira, Gisela Marcelino, Pedro Marques-Vidal, Isabel Monteiro Grillo.

 

NUTRITION AND CANCER
PI: Paula Ravasco
2009/2011 Nutrition in Cancer: relevance and guidelines for clinical practice, FCT Pluriannual Funding. Coordinator: Paula Ravasco.

 

2008/2012 Body composition, metabolic pattern and cancer histological aggressiveness, FCT Pluriannual Funding. Coordinator: Paula Ravasco.

 

2006/2010 Colorectal Cancer and cytokines, FCT Pluriannual Funding. Coordinator: Paula Ravasco.

 

2003/2011 Cancer: metabolic dysfunction, nutrition intervention, Quality of Life and prognosis, FCT Pluriannual Funding. Coordinator: Paula Ravasco.

Cortez-Pinto active in the European Society for the Study of the Liver
 
Monteiro-Grillo active in the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology and belongs to the Society Board since 2007

 

Paula Ravasco: collabotation with the Institut Universitaire de Médecine Sociale et Préventive de Lausanne (Switzerland) where it will  be analyze the data of the 4th National Health survey, covering data on the habits and standard Portuguese food, nutritional intake, nutritional status (underweight, overweight, obesity), physical activity, lifestyles among other representative data of the Portuguese population.

 

Paula Ravasco. Active participation in the “RED MEI-CYTED- NETWOERK TO EVALUATE DISEASE-ASOCIATED MALNUTRITION” PROJECT, CREATED IN 2006. Its objectives are to encourage scientific research of multicentric nature, specially between countries of “Iberoamerica” to study the problem of malnutrition in hospitals and community in order to establish guidleines for practice, education and research.
 

Paula Ravasco: Active participation in the project LifeLongLearning COSPI (Combating Obesity: Strategies for Prevention and Intervention), began in 2007, is an intensive program of advanced training and networking Financed by the EU  and ERASMUS Networks. In 2009 the course COSPI was awarded the Lifelong Learning Award 2008.

 

Paula Ravasco: Active participantion in the DIETS Network (Dietitians Improving Education Training Standards across Europe), began in 2007, financed by  by the EU  and ERASMUS Networks.

 

Paula Ravasco: member of the working group DELPHI - international panel of 17 experts in cachexia. The goals of this project are to guide treatment, defines inclusion Criteria for clinical trials and preliminary implementation results from research into evidence based practice there is a need to define and classify cancer cachexia (Evidence based medicine). This project is part of the EPCRC-project (International Scientific EU-funded consortium of Palliative Cancer Care Investigators, European, Canadian and U.S. experts, to Investigate genetic markers, computer-based assessments and classification of pain, depression, and cachexia clinical and Developer These practice guidelines for three important Complications of advanced cancer). In late 2009 the manuscript was submitted for publication: "Definition and classification of cancer cachexia: an international consensus statement.".

 

Paula Ravasco: 2010 Member of the Cientific Committee of I Simpósio de Ciências da Saúde da Universidade de Lisboa under the theme “Nutirion in Oncology”, Lisbon, 1th of June  2010.

 

Paula Ravasco: 2010 Member of Editorial Board Member of World Journal of Clinical Oncology.

 

Paula Ravasco 2010-2011 Invited Member of Nature reader panel; panelists play a role in shaping NATURE Journal publication, sustaining and developing the value to the research community and to others seriously interested in science and its impacts. This role ensures the highest standards of professional research and privacy in using the information that the panelists provide.

 

Paula Ravasco:  2010-2011 Invited Member of Organizing Committee of the 11th FENS European Nutrition Conference (Federation of Eurpean Nutrition Scocieties). Madrid, Espanha, 26-29  October 2011.

Cortez-Pinto H. Collaborative multicenter study to assess the combination of non-invasive tests for detecting progressive liver disease in NAFLD. Coordinator: Musso G, University of Turin, Italy.

 

Cortez-Pinto H. Representative of the European Association for the Study of Liver Disease (EASL), since 2010, for the organization of the Annual United European Gastroenterology Week.

 

Guerreiro CS. E-learning for the Health Agents Program in Europe, integrated in the Life Learning Programme, financed by the European Commission (2009-2011).

 

Guerreiro CS. Key-Member since 2010 representing Portugal at the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN).
 

Ravasco P, Guerreiro CS. DIETS= Dieticians Improving Education Training Standards across Europe. Erasmus EU financed network (2007- 2012).

 

Ravasco P. DELPHI – international panel of 17 specialists in cachexia aiming at setting: clinical practice guidelines, criteria for clinical trials’ inclusion, implement results from research into evidence based practice. DELPHI is part of the EPCRC-project (EU-funded consortium of Palliative Cancer Care investigators – European, Canadian and US experts).

 

Ravasco P.  Invited member of the Nature reader panel.

 

Ravasco P. Member of the Research Group of Digestive Cancer as Coordinator of nutrition for gastric, intestinal and esophageal cancer. The panel has partnerships with various organizations, e.g. Associação de Enfermagem Oncológica Portuguesa and European Society of Medical Oncology.

 

Ravasco P. Member of the Judging Committee of the XII Fórum Paulista de Pesquisa em Nutrição Clínica e Experimental. IV Congresso Brasileiro de Nutrição e Câncer (CBNC), II International Congress of Nutritional Oncology (ICNO 2010), Congresso Anual GANEPÃO 2010, jury of XII Fórum Paulista de Pesquisa em Nutrição Clínica, promoted by GANEP Nutrição Humana (Grupo de Apoio de Nutrição Enteral e Parenteral), São Paulo, Brazil,  June 15-19, 2010.

 

Ravasco P. Supervisor of research training in Clinical Nutrition of 2 medical students: Emelina Stambolliu of the Athens University, Greece and Jan Bogataj from Slovenia Medical School, part of the cooperation project “Standing Committee on Research” of the “International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations” between the Faculty of Medicine of Lisbon and other foreign Medical schools. Tutors: Chaves M., Boléo-Tomé C.

 

Ravasco P. Editorial Board of World Journal of Clinical Oncology.

 

Monteiro-Grillo I. Editorial Board of the Journal of Contemporary Brachytherapy of the Polish Brachytherapy Society, and of the Reports of Practical Oncology and Radiotherapy, Poland.

 

Monteiro-Grillo I. Editorial Board Member of the Radiotherapy and Oncology, Journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.

 

Camilo ME. Partner of TOOLTIPS = Erasmus EU financed Intensive Programme “Tools targeted on obesity intervention and prevention strategies for efficient and sustained implementation”, 2 weeks advanced intensive Course, held once a year in Austria (2010-2012).

Prize for the 2nd best poster presentation, at Congresso da Associação Portuguesa de Nutrição Entérica e Parentérica, toCarolina Boléo-Tomé, Mariana Ramos Chaves, Isabel Monteiro Grillo, Maria Ermelinda Camilo and Paula Ravasco. “Ensino da integração da nutrição: o MUST em oncologia”. XII Congresso da APNEP, Lisbon, Portugal, June 2010.

 

Travel Award to young investigators (one per country) for their best first presented abstract at the ESPEN 32nd Congress ofEuropean Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism to Mariana Chaves, Nice, France, 2010. Ravasco P, Chaves M,Boléo-Tomé C, Monteiro Grillo I, Camilo M. Insights on body composition in cancer patients. 32nd Congress of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN), Nice, France, 5-8  September 2010.

 

Finalists Nutrition Awards 2010 (among the 6 best projects) in Categoria de Investigação em Ciências da Nutrição. Projectentitled “Nutrição e Cancro – da ciência à integração!”. Authors: Boléo-Tomé C, Chaves M, Raimundo MC, Diegues I,Monteiro-Grillo I, Camilo ME, Ravasco P. Diploma and oral presentation.

 

Bolsa Universidade de Lisboa/ Fundação Amadeu Dias 2010/2011 to Carla Joana dos Santos Samuel de Sousa, a 2nd year HealthSciences undergraduate student for the project entitled: “Nutrição e Oncologia: a investigação e seu impacto na clínica e

ensino”. Coordinator: Ravasco P. Tutor: Boléo-Tomé C.

 

2º Prémio Nutrição Clínica Fresenius Kabi (2009). to Guerreiro CS, Ferreira P, Tavares L, Moura Santos P, Neves M, Brito M,Cravo M. “Doença de Crohn – A influência dos ácidos gordos e polimorfismos na actividade da doença”.

 

ESPEN 2009 Travel Fellowship  to Guerreiro CS., Ferreira, P., Santos, PM., Tavares, L., Fidalgo, C., Brito, M., Cravo, M.“Risk Factors For Metabolic Bone Disease in Patients With Crohn’s Disease”.

 

Best poster to Velez, B., Lopes, AR., Guerreiro, CS., Gil, F., Sousa, J., Mendes, L. Estado nutricional e padrão alimentarde profissionais de saúde de centros de saúde. Congresso Português de Dietética e Nutrição, Lisboa, Portugal, September25-26, 2009.

 

Classified among the five best research works of the congress. Oliveira, J., Pinto, A., Almeida, I., Lopes, J., Mendes, D.,Sousa Guerreiro, C., Barbara, C., Mendes, L. Estado Nutricional como indicador de severidade da DPOC: qual o melhor parâmetro? XI Congresso Anual da Associação Portuguesa de Nutrição Entérica e Parentérica (APNEP), Lisbon, Portugal, June18-19, 2009.

 

COSPI Presentation Award for 1 of the 2 best presentations at the Erasmus Intensive Programme COSPI-3. Chaves, M,. Cruz, C.,Ravasco, P., Monteiro Grillo, I., Camilo, M. Body Composition pattern in cancer patients: cross-sectional characterisation.

COSPI-3 Course (Combating Obesity: Strategies for Prevention and Intervention) 2009, Grundlsee, Austria, 22 February to 7March, 2009.

 

COSPI Presentation Award for 1 of the 2 best presentations at the Erasmus Intensive Programme COSPI-3. Cruz, C., Chaves, M.,Ravasco, P., Monteiro Grillo, I., Camilo, M. Pattern of nutritional status in cancer: cross-sectional characterisation.

 

COSPI-3 Course (Combating Obesity: Strategies for Prevention and Intervention) 2009, Grundlsee, Austria, 22 February to 7March, 2009.

Cortez-Pinto H, de Moura MC, Day CP (2006). Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: From cell biology to clinical practice. Journal of Hepatology 44: 197-208 (Journal IF: 7.818, citations: 61).

 

Ravasco P, Monteiro-Grillo I, Marques-Vidal P, Camilo, ME. (2005). Dietary counseling improves patient’ outcomes: a prospective randomized controlled trial in colorectal cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. Journal of Clinical Oncology 23, 1431-1438. (Journal IF: 17.793, Citations: 79).

 

Machado MV, Cortez-Pinto H (2010) Osteopontin: A Missing Link between Hedgehog Signaling and Fibrosis in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis. Editorial. Hepatology 53, online Dec 21. (Journal IF: 10.840).

 

Chaves MR, Boléo-Tomé C, Monteiro-Grillo I, Camilo M, Ravasco P (2010) The Diversity of Nutritional Status in Cancer: New Insights. The Oncologist 15: 523-530. (Journal IF: 6.701).

 

Amaral P, Miguel R, Mehdad A, Cruz C, Monteiro Grillo I, Camilo M, Ravasco P 82010) Body fat and poor diet in breast cancer women. Nutricion Hospitalaria 25:456-61. (Journal IF: 1.065).

 

Ravasco P, Aranha MM, Borralho PM, da Silva IBM, Correia L, Fernandes A, Rodrigues CMP, Camilo M (2010) Colorectal cancer: Can nutrients modulate NF-kappa B and apoptosis? Clinical Nutrition 29: 42-46. (Journal IF: 3.274).

 

Ravasco P, Anderson H, Mardones F (2010). Métodos de valoración del estado nutricional. Nutrición Hospitalaria (Supl. 3)25: 57-66. (Journal IF: 1.065).

 

Castro R, Barroso M, Rocha M, Esse R, Ramos R, Ravasco P, Rivera I, de Almeida IT (2010) The TCN2 776C> G polymorphism correlates with vitamin B-12 cellular delivery in healthy adult populations. Clinical Biochemistry 43: 645-649. (Journal IF: 2.019).

 

Ratziu V, Bellentani S, Cortez-Pinto H, Day C, Marchesini G (2010) A position statement on NAFLD/NASH based on the EASL 2009 special conference. Journal of Hepatology 53: 372-384. (Journal IF: 7.818).

 

Cravo M, Sousa Guerreiro C, Moura dos Santos P, Brito M, Paula P, Fidalgo C, Tavares L, Dias Pereira A (2010) Risk factors for metabolic bone disease in Crohn’s disease patients. Inflammatory Bowel Disease 16: 2217-24. (Journal IF: 4.643).

 

Wanden-berghe C, Camilo ME, Culebras J (2010) Conceptos y definiciones de la desnutrición iberoamericana. Nutrición Hospitalaria (Supl. 3)25:1-9. (Journal IF: 1.065).

 

Feldman-Stwart D, Caprici C, Brennenstuhl S, Tong C, Abacioglu U, Gawkowska-Suwinska M, Van Gils F, Heyda A, Igdem S, Macias V, Monteiro Grillo I, Moyniham C, Pijls-Johannesma M, Parker C, Pimentel N, Wordehoff H (2010) Information needs of early-stage prostate cancer patiens: A comparison of nine countries. Radiotherapy and Oncology 94: 328-333. (Journal IF: 4.343).

 

Vala IS, Martins LR, Imaizumi N, Nunes RJ, Rino J, Kuonen F, Carvalho LM, Ruegg C, Monteiro Grillo I, Barata JT, Mareel M, Constantino S (2010) Low doses of ionizing radiation promote tumor growth and metastasis by enhancing angiogenesis. Plos one 5: 1-13. (Journal IF: 4.351).

 

Ravasco P. Ética en la investigación en nutrición clínica (2010) In: Alemany M, Bernabeau-Mestre J (Eds). Bioética y Nutrición. Alicante: Colección Amalgama, Universidad de Alicante – Aguaclara Editorial, 2010: 283-294 (ISBN: 978-84-8018-333-8).

 

Ravasco P, Monteiro Grillo I, Camilo M. Nutritional wasting in cancer & quality of life: the value of early individualised nutritional counselling (2010) In: Preedy VR and Watson RR (Eds). Handbook of Disease Burdens and Quality of Life Measures. New York: Springer Science+Business Media LLC 2010: 3190-3201 (ISBN–13: 978-0-387-78664-3).