The visit, which took place on Tuesday morning, saw the Spanish monarch and a group of scientists accompanying her, being shown around the Portuguese institute by the president of the Champalimaud Foundation, Leonor Beleza.
During the visit both sides expressed their will to reinforce cooperation between their respective scientific institutions, which already share a partnership in the investigation of Parkinson’s disease.
The visiting group of researchers held meetings with scientists from the Champ-alimaud Foundation to develop joint investigational programmes and international scientific conferences to take place in Lisbon and Madrid.
Speaking to members of the press at the end of Queen Sofia’s visit, Leonor Beleza stressed the importance of the Queen Sofia Foundation in the investigation of neurodegenerative diseases and highlighted the role of the institution which was created in 1977 in the fight against Alzheimer’s.
The Spanish foundation treats and takes in Alzheimer’s patients as well as conducting research to detect the early signs of the disease.
“They have pioneering projects in those areas and are interested in collaborating. They come from a more clinical perspective and with greater experience with patients than us with more basic investigation in the area of neurodegenerative diseases, which is relevant to know just how those diseases appear and develop”, Beleza elaborated.
A boost in cooperation between the two institutions – which already have a research project ongoing for Parkinson’s disease – could include the exchange of scientists between the two centres as well as regular meetings.
“This visit represents for the scientists the chance to meet and to establish projects of common interest”, Leonor Beleza added, stressing that both institutions have “everything to win” by working together.